


Endless Summer: Past

by slighter_writer



Series: Phases of Time [1]
Category: Choices - Fandom, Choices - Stories you play, Endless Summer (Visual Novel), Pixelberry
Genre: Byproduct of intense feels and denial, Gen, I will personally be adjusting a few parts that I considered BS in ES, My MC has an actual past, Novelization, Sort of AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-04-19 13:12:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 50
Words: 104,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14238039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slighter_writer/pseuds/slighter_writer
Summary: The past can hurt. But you can either run from it or learn from it.





	1. Prologue: Reset Button

   “Stay down! It’s coming this way!”

“Heh, I guess dying side-by-side with a friend isn’t so bad…”

         “It will all be worth it…just a little while longer…”

 “Don’t do this! We’re your friends!”

             “No! It wasn’t supposed to happen like this!”

        “Hurry, give me your hand!”

     “Sorry, Bro…but that’s one play…I won’t be able to follow…”

                             “Get out of here! I’ll hold them off! Just go!”

         “It’s my fault…they died trying to-to…maybe I’m just better off dead…”

                “I’ll be okay! Get the others to safety!”

“How could you do this?! We _trusted you_!”

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“I’m so sorry…I’ve failed you all…”

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**Are you confused?**

**Do you feel lost?**

**You don’t understand, do you?**

**Of course not…**

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**…But you will…**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm not gonna pretend this new work has absolutely nothing to do with Endless Summer's latest chapter. To be honest, I wasn't even planning to publish this at all. This fic was just an outlet for my ridiculous obsession with ES and all its characters. Once ES is over, the only logical thing for fans in denial to do is to delve into fanfictions to soothe their feels. I'm just getting a head start.
> 
> So this is a fan-novelization for ES. A few parts will be adjusted, like a bit of extra dialogue here, an extra scene there, this and that.
> 
> I'm just throwing the prologue out there as a hook, to whet some appetites. I know there's nothing much in this chapter besides ominous and somewhat-creative text arrangement, but here's what I plan to do with this: I'm gonna try to change in my fics what some of the fans thought was lazy and half-assed about the ES books. Not in book 1, because in my eyes, it was fucking perfect. There's not much in book 2 I'd change either, so you won't see much adjustments until we get to the third fic.
> 
> If you feel like there was a scene in the ES books that was half-assed, then mention it to me and I'll consider redoing it in my fic.
> 
> (SPOILER ALERT) Also, the nature of the MC I'm putting in here will be different than the nature of the canon MC. For starters, he's an actual person with an actual past before La Huerta, one he remembers. Also, he'll be different from the ES MC that are in my other three fics. Maybe if you want I can post his bio on the notes or something.
> 
> BTW, the summary is a quote from the Lion King. That's probably gonna get Jake to call me Diego's rightful nickname (Which is hypocritical of him. He fucking makes a million more pop culture references than Diego, and he calls HIM Pop Culture Petey? Plz).
> 
> Also, if you want another ES fan novelization, a pretty damn good one at that, then check out the fic "Endless Summer Book 1: Mind-talker", by Glamourchick1668. It's only ten chapters in, but you'll find the rest on the author's tumblr, ladyseaheart1668. On tumblr, she's already into the second chapter of book 3.
> 
> I'd also recommend following blightarts on tumblr. He's just got into the ES fandom, and he's produced some BADASS art. I also hear he's in the process of making two ES fics, one a crossover with Pokémon (I fucking love it already), and the other is a fan novelization of ES where there are two MC's, a F!MC and M!MC.


	2. The Storm

Everything around me moves with an abrupt shake, and my eyes open.

I blink to adjust to the light, and soon I’m met with bright blue from the window. In the seat to my right, I see a friendly face.

“Morning, Sleepyhead.”

“I’m not still dreaming am I?” I chuckle, blowing a few strands of hair out of my face.

“Nah, I’m the real deal!” Diego grins. “But speaking of dreams, I still can’t believe this _isn’t_ one. It still seems too good to be true.”

I’m suddenly aware of the chatter around me. Everyone sounds unable to contain their excitement from winning an all-expenses-paid trip to an island resort.

A sharp stab spikes through my brain, and I rub my forehead. I guess I must still be tired. A shame really, I don’t want to spend my first day of the vacation sleeping. Mental note: find some coffee when we land.

“Hey, you okay, Cain?” Diego asks with humor half-gone from his voice.

“Yeah of course,” I answer. “I just had a weird dream about…” A brief turn of my head and my jaw drops. “About _him_!”

Walking down the aisle towards where the two of us are seated is the tall form of the _exact_ same man I saw just moments ago in my dream.

My entire dream felt like it was shrouded in…the closest I could describe it was _static_. There were only a few parts that were close to lucid, and even then I could only make out the mystery man’s bulky, blurred form holding out his hand and the desperation and fear in his voice.

But seeing him here in person, with that slight smirk on his lips, I somehow _know_ that it’s him.

I turned to Diego, and for some reason, his grin comes back at full force.

“You had a dream about _Sean Gayle_? Well then, what are you waiting for? Go talk to him!”

Diego’s somehow able to push me out of my seat, and before I know it, my face is in Sean’s pec.

“Whoa! Hello there!”

I steady myself and look up a good few inches, and…wow…that dream did _not_ do him justice.

Set upon wide, muscled shoulders, a smooth, chiseled jaw moved as Sean gives a brilliant smile that makes me aware of a sudden heat in my cheeks.

And _holy crap how did I not notice how close we are right now?_

“My friend Cain here has something to say,” Diego sounds pleased with himself.

Bastard.

Sean’s eyes turn back from Diego to me, and I feel my heart beating with all the speed of one of the plane’s engines.

“I, uh…dreamt about you!”

Real smooth.

Damn you Diego…

A good natured laugh from Sean surprises me. It actually puts me a bit more to ease.

“That so? A good one, I hope.”

“Heh, actually it was kinda terrifying-”

Oh crap, I choked again.

“Not because of you!” I say quickly. “It’s uh, just-”

“Don’t worry,” Sean shoots me another smile. “I’ll still take it as a compliment. Anyway, I gotta take my seat, but nice meeting you, Cain,” his smile doesn’t fade as he slides by me.

While he ventures towards his seat, I plop back onto my own, my blush yet to leave.

“Oh man,” Diego cackles beside me. I noticed him holding his phone. “That was _awesome_! What ever happened to Mr. Smooth-Talker, huh Cain?”

“Oh you think you’re so funny,” I say in mock anger. “You won’t be laughing so much when I change our Netflix password.”

“If you do, I’ll post the video of your little failed flirtation online, so hah,” he clicks the screen back on, and frowns. “What the…is it really 5:15? We should’ve landed an hour ago. And it didn’t sound like you’ve been snoring _that_ long.”

“Hilarious,” I mutter, moving out of my seat. “I’ll go ask the pilot what’s going on.”

Making my way up the aisle, I can hear the overlapping voices of the other passengers. One’s a British accent who’s asking someone to “cease their babbling”.

I can’t remember when I actually heard someone use the word ‘cease’ outside of a vocabulary quiz, but whatever.

Another voice is the peppy one of our tour guide, Lila, who made herself and her role known in her welcome speech before the flight.

I reach the cockpit, pausing at the threshold. I see brown boots kicked up on the dashboard.

“Excuse me, it’s Jake, right?” I say, remembering his sarcastic introduction before the flight took off. “Sorry to bother you, but weren’t we supposed to have landed by now?”

Jake’s feet don’t budge.

“Uh, hello?”

Nothing.

I take a few steps closer, and I hear snoring from the pilot’s chair.

“Hold on, are you _asleep_?!”

Practically shouting the words is all it takes for him to wake up. He turns to me, and…

…what the _hell?!_

I saw _him_ in my dream too. Like Sean, most of everything from his part was blurry. In the dream, Jake shouted out to me to _look out_ for _something_ coming my way, but the scene shifted before whatever that _something_ was could be seen…

“Listen, Boy Scout,” Jake’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Don’tcha know it’s rude to wake someone up when they’re taking a nap?”

“‘Boy Scout’…?”

“What can I say,” he gives me a cheeky grin. “I give nicknames to people who annoy me.”

“Well,” I smirk. “Guess I’ll take a page from your book, _Aragorn_.”

He _does_ look a bit like the character. Or maybe I’m just paying too much attention to the hair-length and stubble.

“‘Aragorn’?! I…I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who even _is_ that?”

He sits up a bit straighter though, as if he’s flattered.

“You’re a bad liar, you know?” I grin.

“Fine,” Jake groans. “Call me ‘Aragorn’. Why the hell not? The man was a badass.”

Still smiling, I don’t forget that I just met two people I saw in a dream moments ago, despite having never met either of them before.

I mean, I _had_ to have met Sean and Jake at some point if I _dreamt_ of them. I try to remember when I could have seen Sean back at Hartfeld or Jake somewhere else, but I _just can’t_ -

“You needed something Boy Scout, or did you come just to give me a wakeup call?”

Right, that.

“Yeah, I wanted to ask when we’re landing.”

“Hm, we ain’t landing ‘til…” Jake takes a look at a clock on the dashboard and immediately scowls. “The fuck? That time ain’t right…and _that_ ain’t right either.”

Jake starts slamming his fist against a few instruments on his dashboard haphazardly, earning some agitation on my part.

“Hey, you sure you know what you’re doing?!”

“Psh, if you knew _half_ the things I’ve survived, you’d bet on me to get you through any-WHOA!”

It feels like a hammer slams itself on the side of the plane.

I let out an undignified cry as I’m thrown to the wall of the cockpit. Through the windows, I see the blue sky go dark like a fast-forwarded sunset.

“Shit!” Jake curses as he grabs the yoke in a vicelike grip. “This stormfront’s coming in quick. Get your ass in a seat, ya hear me? And tell everybody to buckle the hell up!”

“But-”

“ _Now, Boy Scout!_ ”

I guess it’s best not to argue.

Making my way back towards the aisle, I’m met with everyone in the plane shouting as it rocks back and forth like a sea in the waves.

While trying to brace myself, I catch Zahra pointing out her window, her mouth agape.

I look out one of the windows, and I can’t believe what I see.

Orbs of orange lightning crackle and explode in the sky. Louder than an up-close fireworks display, they give almost-blinding flashes and leave residual rumbling that I can hear _and_ feel.

A trickle of sweat runs down my face from my hairline.

Come on, stop shaking. Breathe in breathe out.

Everyone just keeps shouting, with Sean and Lila trying to shout _louder_ in an effort to calm them down.

I have to clench my jaw to keep my mouth from joining in on the noise.

A crack of thunder that sounds _too damn close for comfort_ is followed by the plane giving a much more violent shake. Sparks fly in the cockpit, and I look outside the window…

Oh god…

_Breatheinbreatheoutbreatheinbreatheout-_

…The plane got hit…

_-breatheinbreatheoutbreatheinbreatheout-_

“Bringin’ her down manually!” Jake shouts from the cockpit. “Everybody hang on!”

I brace myself against the wall, but I can’t seem to stop shaking.

Over the growing cries, I can see, in an aisle seat at the back row of the plane, a girl in a blue hoodie. Her face doesn’t betray a single emotion as she just sits there with her arms crossed.

She’s not _trying_ to keep calm, like I’m failing to do right now. She _is_ calm.

The voices of everyone on the plane and the thunder almost fade as I keep watching her, dumbstruck. I catch my mind going blank in wonder when her gaze turns briefly to me, and I’m able to see a scar running across her right eye.

“Cain!” Lila’s able to make her voice loud enough for me to hear over the commotion. “Safety first! Please get to the nearest available seat!”

I tumble ungracefully into a nearby seat, right beside a redhead girl. I glance at her, and her eyes are shut tightly, knuckles white from gripping the armrests as though they’re lifelines.

Through her trembling, I notice the shallow rises and falls of her chest and shoulders, like she’s hyperventilating.

“Hey, just breathe,” I do my best to sound supportive. “It’ll pass.”

“This can’t happen,” she still doesn’t open her eyes. “Not yet…it’s too soon.”

An idea pops into my head.

“Why can’t watermelons get married?”

“Wait, _what_?” She opens her eyes and looks to me.

“Why can’t watermelons get married?”

“I…I have no idea…”

“Because they cantaloupe,” I barely keep a straight face.

She stares at me for a few seconds, and I’m pretty sure she thinks I need to be committed.

All of a sudden, a wide smile breaks across her face and she lets out laughter so infectious that it makes me laugh with her.

“That’s the worst joke I’ve ever heard!” She’s still laughing though, and I can even hear a few people around us join in on the mirth.

“Are you positively _mad_?!”

A _few_ people.

“Now isn’t the time for jokes!” In one of the seats to our right, a pale guy with white-blond hair is glaring at me.

“No, it’s the perfect time for jokes,” the redhead smiles sweetly at me and takes my hand. “I’m Quinn, by the way.”

“Cain,” I smile back and I don’t feel as apprehensive as I was a minute ago.

“Just a little farther!” I hear Jake call from the cockpit. “I think we’re almost out!”

Quinn squeezes my hand as the plane gives one last rumbling shake, and all of a sudden, the sky is blue and cloudless once again.

Turbulence leaves with the clouds, and before I know it, the plane is running smoothly.

“We made it!” I grin, and I could hear a few of the other passengers behind me whoop and cheer.

“Cain, look!” Quinn points to the window beside her. “There it is!” I move to look, and the view takes my breath away.

“Get a good look now!” Jake says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. “We’re coming in fast! Welcome to La Huerta ladies and gents!”

Edged with sandy beaches on all sides, the island is covered with thick forests. I see rivers running across the land like veins. Rock from mountains peek above the mass of trees, and towering above them all is a volcano, white smoke steadily rising in a way that somehow makes me feel peaceful.

Quinn looks like she can’t take her eyes off the sight, and I can’t blame her.

I think I’m gonna like it here.


	3. The Island

“I hope you don’t work for tips, Aragorn,” I smirk at Jake as we get off the plane.

“You kidding?” Jake laughs. “I’m a damn hero for even getting you on the ground!”

With both of us standing, I’m aware of the good few inches I have on him. He must be about 5’8, 5’9 tops.

And that’s _with_ the boots.

I might’ve chosen the wrong _Lord of the Rings_ character as his nickname.

Jake turns away, walking further into the airstrip. “Oi, Carlos! I need a tune-up yesterday!”

Chuckling, I make my way towards the plane’s cargo bay. I got out before Diego, who was in a seat behind the one I fell in next to Quinn, so I figure I might as well get both our bags.

Doing a quick scan of the crowd around me, there aren’t that many people here I know very well. I only met Sean and Quinn on the plane.

Raj and I chatted a bit before we boarded, and he seemed pretty effortless to get along with.

There’s also Craig, the beefy guy in a letterman jacket whose name I only knew because I heard him and Raj exchange cheery greetings.

Finally Zahra, who Lila keeps trying and failing to get excited for the trip.

Grace is probably the only one I knew about before coming to the airport, even though we never talked. We were both in the same business course a semester ago, and I learned her name from overhearing a few of my classmates talking. From what I heard, she was the only one in the whole class to get a final grade of a full A.

I turn my focus back on looking for the purple ribbons Diego and I tied to the handles of our suitcases, but I can still hear the eager talk around me.

“This island’s supposed to be one of the most beautiful places on earth!” Quinn says excitedly. “I heard so much about the waterfalls, the beaches…”

“It’s also home to a plethora of rare flora and fauna!” Grace says, looking as animated as Quinn. “Some that can’t be found anywhere else in the world!”

Craig broods a few feet away, muttering something with “dork” in it.

When I find the two purple ribbons, I grab Diego’s suitcases handle first. I go for my own, but Sean’s hand brushes against mine as he reaches for my bag too.

“Oh, sorry!” He pulled his hand back, blushing a bit.

I give an easygoing smile, determined not to make an ass of myself like I did on the plane.

“Hey, if you want to carry my bag, I won’t complain.”

Sean returns my smile, and is about to say something until a voice cuts in.

“Oh my god, could you _be_ any more desperate?!” The voice’s owner, a girl in heavy makeup, drapes an arm around Sean while glaring at me. “People like you always hover around the spotlight like moths. It’s sad, honestly.”

“Uh,” I try not to look flustered. “Excuse me? What are you talking about?”

“Oh _please_ , like you don’t know who Sean is.”

“Should I…?” I’m fairly sure, especially with my mind trying to figure out why I saw him in a dream, that I had _never_ seen Sean before today.

“Seriously?” Craig steps in, looking as though my ignorance personally offends him. “Our superstar quarterback? The Heisman frontrunner?”

“Craig, Michelle, it’s cool,” Sean holds his hands up, trying to calm the other two down. “Chill out-”

“Look,” the girl, Michelle apparently, folds her arms and gives me a cold glare. “Sean doesn’t need any famehounds hanging around, got it?”

Okay…

…I’m just trying to get my suitcase, but okay.

The easier thing would just be to walk away, but she’ll still probably glare at me if I even talk to Sean. Like Lila said on the flight, we’re pretty much stuck with each other during the trip, and I don’t really want to be on bad terms with anyone while I’m here, so…

“Hm,” I put my hand to my chin in mock thought. “You’re super gorgeous. You two must be dating, am I right?”

“I…you…” From the look on her face, she’s surprised I hadn’t argued back. “Well thanks…” To her credit, she recovered in a second, giving me a bright smile. “And you’re definitely right, on both counts!”

Sean doesn’t seem happy though.

If anything, he looks _pissed._

“We’re in reality Michelle, remember?” he says with a coldness that’s a complete 180 from his previous friendly demeanor. “In _reality_ , we’re not together anymore.”

So they really _were_ dating at some point. From Sean’s reaction, the breakup went really badly.

The two of them start arguing, and quietly I grab my suitcase and inch away.

Well…that could have ended without a fight at least. But still, I can’t help but feel smug at how well I was able to diffuse the situation. Manipulative, but hey! I guess I still got it-

I hear a clink as I feel something against my sneaker. Looking down, I see something small, red, and poofy. I kneel down and pick it up, and I feel a chill run down my spine as I look at what I found.

“What the…”

“Hey, thanks for getting my bag!” Diego’s voice almost makes me jump. He smiles sheepishly. “Whoa, you okay there…?” His gaze turns to what’s in my hand. “Is that a…a _tranquilizer dart?_ ”

“Yeah, looks like it…”

“The vial’s nearly empty,” Diego observes. “It must’ve hit its target.”

“And the dose is pretty big,” I say. “Whatever the target was, it must’ve been _huge_ if they needed this much to take it down.”

“Don’t you mean _if_ they took it down?” Diego smirks wickedly, and all I can give is a weak chuckle.

I look up, and I can see someone standing just a few feet away.

The scarred girl in the hoodie.

She’s listening to us. From the way she looks at the dart still in my hand, she’s not even trying to hide the fact.

“Diego,” I lower my voice. “Do you know who she is? The girl in the blue hoodie?”

Glancing at her, Diego shrugs and grins at me. “Why, got your eyes on the mysterious hottie?”

“There’s something _off_ about her…” It’s not just her keeping calm during the storm.

I feel like there’s something about her, something important, but it’s… _blocked_ …like the answer is behind the same static from my dream.

I glance at everyone else, mentally doing a headcount.

Jake is off looking for whoever Carlos is, leaving Lila, Sean, Craig, Raj, Quinn, Michelle, Grace, Zahra, the pale guy, plus Diego and me-

That’s when it hits me.

“There’s too many of us,” I all but gasp out.

“Too many?” Diego asks, confused.

“Look,” I gesture to the others. “We were told that ten students from our college won this trip, right? Not counting Jake and Lila, she makes _eleven_.”

“You…” Diego pales a bit and looks as startled as I feel right now. “You’re right. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen her around before. So…who is she?”

I look towards her again. She’s staring directly back at me.

Our eyes lock, and for some reason, I _just can’t look away_ …

She doesn’t say anything and not a single facial muscle twitches. I’m good at reading people, but I might as well be trying to find letters on a blank sheet of paper.

Her gaze is stony and intense, reminding me of an impenetrable wall. I’m unable to do anything but freeze up as I stare back, feeling like a cornered mouse.

It’s almost like her gaze is _pulling me in…_

“Hey, Lila! Where the hell are your people?” Jake’s voice tears down the silence, and somehow, I’m able to look away again, as if a spell on me just broke.

I make sure to avoid looking in the scarred girl’s direction as I stuff the tranq dart in my pocket.

Come on, shake it off.

“There’s nobody here!” Jake strolls up to the crowd.

“What? They should be here in a shuttle,” Lila answers. “They were supposed to be here a few minutes ago to take us up to the main resort…but I’m sure it’s just a slight delay!” She musters up a wide smile. “They’ll be here any minute!”

“Screw that,” Jake scoffs. “I’m going up to the control tower to get some answers.”

“What do you think is going on up there?” I ask.

“No idea,” he seems a bit troubled. “Call it a gut feeling, but whatever’s up, it ain’t good. You comin’ or not, Boy Scout?”

“Wait, _me?_ ”

“That’s what I said.”

“I could go with you-” Michelle offers but Jake cuts her off.

“Wasn’t talkin’ to you, Maybelline.”

“Um, okay! Good luck with that!” Lila lets out a nervous laugh, but keeps her smile up. “I guess the rest of you, please follow me! We’ll take a short walk up the hill to the resort! Sounds fun, right? Wait, where are you going, Quinn?”

Said girl steps past Lila merrily, unbuttoning her blouse.

“Some of us want to explore the beach a little first!” Quinn says. “We’ll meet you guys at the hotel!” She fumbles with her top button. “This one’s stuck. Cain, could you help me out?”

“Um,” I try to fight down a blush. “Sure…” She draws close to me. I undo her last button and my eyes immediately snap to her face.

Quinn slides out of her top, revealing her aqua-blue two-piece.

“Ah, that’s better! You’re coming with us, right?”

“Oh! Uh…yeah, sure, but I’ll catch up with you later,” I say before she skips off with Michelle, Raj, and Craig following.

I turn away, forcing myself not to linger on her retreating form.

“Perv,” I notice Diego smirking at me, and I scowl at him. “Anyway, I’m gonna go check out the hotel. See you there, alright?”

“Yeah, see you,” he takes his bag and leaves with Lila, Grace, Zahra, Sean, and the scarred girl…

…I shake my head as I remember the way she held my gaze.

I see Jake’s already off to the control tower. I leave my suitcase against a wall. Jogging towards the tower, I call out to him. “So it’s cool if I join you?”

He turns to me and gives a grin. “Ask permission for everything, Boy Scout? Come on.” He gives me a gesture to follow him.

We go to the tower’s staircase, full of rusted steps that look like they’ve seen better days.

“Walk slowly,” Jake advises. “There are old, rickety rope bridges that are in better shape than this.”

I notice the rainforest around me, the green of the vegetation looking greener than freshly trimmed grass back home.

“Wow, this place is gorgeous,” I breathe. “Do you fly out here a lot?”

“Oh yeah,” Jake’s voice is full of disdain. “Here and every other privately owned resort, favored by the young and privileged.”

I frown a little. “You don’t sound too fond of it.”

“It pays the bar tab,” He shoots me another grin. “So what’s not to love?”

“What did you do before this?” I prod. Maybe we met at some point, so if he was ever at Boston or Hartfeld, then it would likely explain why I dreamt of him.

“Hey, what is this, twenty questions?” he snaps, clearly annoyed.

“Sorry…” I rub the back of my neck, embarrassed.

I decide not to say anything else.

The silence continues for a few awkward seconds, until Jake breaks it.

“Fighter pilot. Navy,” he says curtly. “Was good at it too. Best in my whole class. Until I got discharged.”

“What happened?”

“Punched my commanding officer in the jaw.”

Damn.

“I, uh…I’m sure he deserved it,” I saw awkwardly.

He’s silent again for a while.

“Yeah, he did. Anyway, I’ve been ferrying rich folks around the Caribbean and sleeping in a beach hammock in Costa Rica ever since.”

“That sounds kinda lonely,” I remark.

“Uh, yeah, that’s the appeal.”

“I mean, I get wanting to get away for a while, but don’t you want anything more? Something, _someone_ to come home to?”

“You offering, Boy Scout?”

“What? No, I…” I blushed. “I just meant…in _theory_ …”

“‘In theory’, I wanted to be the best pilot the Navy’s ever seen. In _practice_ , well, you can’t beat a cold beer and a Caribbean sunset.”

Before I could say anything, I feel the step underneath me crack and break away, and I begin to fall through.

“ _Jake!_ ” I yelp. With lightning speed, he grabs me by the arm, and pulls me up out of the hole and in his arms.

“Gotcha!” I hear the sound the rusted pieces of metal makes as it hit the ground, probably fifty feet below, and I shudder.

“I think you just saved my life,” I say.

“You’re welcome,” Jake says. “Now come on.”

“Heh, I guess that’s two I owe you now, Aragorn,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.

“So you’re _admitting_ I saved you all from the storm?” Jake laughs.

“No, I…”

Wait, _what_?

 _Two_ I owe him? Why did I say that? I wasn’t even _thinking_ about the storm just now, and…all that’s going through my head is more dream static…

I notice Jake looking at me confused, and I summon a smile. “Don’t let it go to your head!”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he grins back, and we continue up the steps. But the words kept echoing in my mind…

_I owe him… I owe him…_

I shake my head.

We get to the top, and Jake pushes through the door to the control tower.

“Carlos you big dumb bastard-” I hear Jake stop mid-swear. “Hey, _what_ _the_ …?”

I hurry in, and almost do a double-take.

“There’s no one in here!”

“Thanks Eagle Eyes,” Jake snarks. “I couldn’t tell.”

Sighing, I take a good long look around. There isn’t anything that stands out except for shut-down computer monitors on the desks and a few chairs.

I slide my finger across the surface of one of the desks and I see the dust accumulated on it.

“This place was deserted for a while,” I say. “Are you sure they’re even _using_ this airstrip?”

“Of course I’m sure,” he replies from my left. “I was just here a few days ago, and I’m _pretty_ damn sure…”

I wait for him to continue, but he just stays silent.

“Jake? Something wrong?” I turn to him, and see he’s staring past me through the window to my right.

When I see what he’s staring at, my jaw drops.

In the distance, I see flashes of red and blue light outlining everything on the island. The colors make the trees, cliffs, and sea glow with the two colors in a rippling aurora.

It’s like the northern lights, but instead of in the sky, it’s… _everywhere_.

Out of impulse, my hand grabs Jake’s, his fingers lacing with mine.

“Jake…” I say, dazed. “What _is_ this…?”

“I don’t know…”

We both look each other, and I gaze at him as red and blue plays across his sapphire eyes.

It felt like time had stopped, and all of a sudden I blink…

…And the colors vanish.

“It stopped!” I say, looking out the window again.

I hear Jake do a sharp inhale, like he was holding his breath the entire time. I’m suddenly aware that we’re still holding hands, and my face heats up.

Jake lets out a sound like a cough as he pulls his hand back. “Uh, sorry…look, it must’ve been something…weird with the glass here.”

 _Weird with the glass_? Okay, I don’t believe that for a second, but at the moment I’m too embarrassed to say anything.

“Who knows,” Jake mutters as he makes for the door. “Forget it, just come on.”

I follow, and for the whole trek down the stairs, my head keeps turning to where we saw the lights.

“Whelp,” Jake says when we reach the ground. “I’m headed up to the hotel to catch up with Lila. Carlos has gotta be up there. Which way you heading?”

“I told Quinn I’d catch up with her at the beach. Good luck finding your friend.”

Jake nods before leaving.

When I get to the beach, I take my shoes off and bury my feet into the sand. Damn that feels nice…I can’t remember the last time I went to the beach.

On the sand before me, I see a seashell sticking out. I reach down to pick it up, and it looks almost like a pinecone, with sharp edges pointing up its form.

Huh. Doesn’t look like any shell I’ve ever seen.

I hear Quinn’s infectious laugh again, and see her twirling across the sand.

“This must be heaven,” she sighs contently.

“Yuuuuuup!” I turn to see Raj lying down on the sand, grinning widely. “I’m just staying here all week. I’m _never_ moving again!”

“Isn’t this place wonderful, Cain?” Michelle waves at me, beaming as she stands barefoot in the water, small waves close to the shore washing over her feet. “It’s like our own private paradise!”

“Yeah!” Craig’s sitting on a big rock protruding out from the water’s surface a few feet from shore. “This is our turf!”

“Isn’t this magical? It’s almost like we have the whole island to ourselves! ”Quinn practically bounces over to me, the bright smile not even fading a little.

It was enough to elicit a smile from me, and I don’t even have to force it.

“I know, it’s so peaceful,” I look longingly at the water. “I wish we could go swimming.”

“Who says we can’t?” Quinn grabs my hand and pulls me towards the water.

“Whoa, just a sec,” I laugh. “It’s a good thing I wore my swimsuit under my jeans!” Tossing the shell back on the ground, I shrug my pants off and leave my shirt with it.

“Come on!” Quinn says when I’m fit for the water. “Hope you’re a good swimmer!”

“Oh, me?” I grin as I join her. “I’m practically an Olympian!” Not a complete exaggeration. I did swim competitively in high school, but now I just do it for fitness’s sake.

“Good, ‘cause I’m not the best at it. If anything happens, just carry me back to the beach and give me CPR, okay?” she winks at me.

I chuckle and hope I’m not blushing _too_ much.

“Sure thing, I’ll be your hero,” a few feet away from Quinn, I’m up to my waist in surprisingly warm water. I feel currents curls soothingly around my legs. “So are you always this spontaneous?”

“No, not always…but after…after last year,” Quinn’s eyes turn to the horizon, and something solemn takes over her features. “I’ve tried to make the most out of every day.”

What could be so be so grave as to make Quinn want to make the most of her time? I’m curious to know what happened.

I open my mouth to ask her what she means, but I decide against it. I shouldn’t pry. Everyone has a right to their secrets, and I don’t want to dig up anything unpleasant like I did with Jake.

So, I scoop up some water in my hands and splash it over Quinn. She gives a surprised squeal, and I grin smugly.

“Oh, I get it,” she starts laughing. “You’re pretty spontaneous yourself!” Quinn starts splashing me back. We begin splashing each other and while I try to dodge her, she rushes towards me and gives me a playful shove.

I fall with my back on the surf…

…with Quinn on top of me.

“Oops!”

“No worries,” I laugh nervously and I feel myself going red. I see Quinn’s eyes light up and she gets up off of me.

“Cain, look!” I see something that looks like a prism, small and dazzling in the light, shoot out of the water. Wings unfurl, gleaming like jewels, and it hovers just before Quinn as I get a good look at it.

It’s a _seahorse_ …with _butterfly wings_?

The creature’s wings catch the sunlight as it stays in the air like a hummingbird, facing Quinn as she faces it back, gazing at it in awe and wonder.

“Whoa…” is all I can say.

Suddenly, it zips off into the distance like a bullet shot, leaving no trace it was ever there.

“Did that seriously just happen?!” Quinn turns to me. “Have you ever _seen_ anything like that?”

“No, never!” I answer. “I mean, the island’s supposed to have rare species…but _that_? I didn’t think something like that could exist!”

Quinn turns back to the shore and calls out to the others.

“Guys! Did you _see_ that?!”

“Huh?” Craig turns his head to us briefly. “Who cares? Do you see _this_?!”

Craig gestures to Raj, asleep and buried in a pile of sand.

“Everyone else already went up to the hotel!” Michelle shrieks. “Come on, let’s catch up! Who’s gonna carry my bag?”

Everyone starts to head away from the beach, leaving Quinn and me in the water.

“They…” my shoulders slump a little. “They missed it.”

“Aw, cheer up!” Quinn pushes my shoulder lightly. “ _We_ both saw it! It’s like we’re sharing a secret!”

“I guess,” I chuckle.

We look at each other for a moment.

“I’m glad you were with me, Cain.”

“Me too.”

The two of us leave the water, get dressed, and grab our bags before following the others. We go on for a few minutes on a winding road towards the resort.

I hope a shuttle comes by. I’m actually starting to feel a bit winded from walking uphill for this long.

I check my phone, and I don’t see any bars. Damn. Maybe cell service is only limited to the hotel.

Some more time passes until Michelle eagerly points up ahead.

“This must be it!”

I look forward, and I can see the resort.

Plenty of floors tall, the Celestial is a welcome sight. Gleaming in the sun and against the blue sky, the whole place looks like a palace…

…a palace we’ll be staying in for a whole week, free of charge.

“The Celestial!” Quinn gasps.

“Okay,” I grin broadly. “I’m _definitely_ gonna like it here.”

“Aw hell yeah!” Craig cheers. “ _That_ is what I’m talking about!”

“Is this place even real?” Raj marvels.

“Let’s go! My luxury suite awaits!” Michelle bounds forward eagerly.

We walk through the long, ornamented overhang, and the marble pillars that hold it up reminds me of the ones that support ancient Greek temples.

As we rush through the automatic doors, the cool air from the air-conditioned lobby washes over us…

…And we all freeze.

Not one sound comes from anywhere. Around me, everyone is gaping in shock.

“I…I don’t understand…” Lila’s stammer breaks the silence.

Aside from the group, there’s no one else in the lobby.

“Hey, uh, Cain?” Sean asks. “Do you happen to know… _where the hell is everyone_?!”


	4. The Hotel

The bell at the concierge desk rings one more time.

“Where is everybody?!” Michelle snaps. “I mean, _hello?!_ ”

I guess seeing isn’t believing, because I can barely believe what I see right now.

Not a single other person is in sight. The only indication of people being here is the luggage littered all over the floor.

Besides our group, the only life to be seen are the potted plants…

…which might just be fakes.

“So,” Sean shifts as his eyes keep darting around the scene. “This’ll make for one weird-ass Yelp review.”

“This is not good,” Grace plays with the handle of her bag nervously. “The hotel staff knew we were coming this week, right?”

“What are you complaining about, dweeb?” Craig plops on a big couch, lounging comfortably. “We have the hotel to ourselves! This is sick!”

“I’m with Grace on this,” I say. “The whole situation is pretty creepy. Something like this doesn’t just _happen_. We should try to find out what’s going on.”

Grace smiles slightly at me. “Thanks for backing me up, Cain. I don’t want to sound like I’m raining on everyone’s parade.”

“Well, you _are_ raining on it,” Craig glowers. “You’re going full-on _monsoon_ on my parade.”

“Hey, the people are gone, but the booze is still here!” Raj manifests from behind the bar table. “Who’s up for a Mai Tai?”

 _How_ can they not be taking this seriously…?

I sigh, trying not to feel too annoyed.

Diego picks up a half-full wine glass sitting on a small table beside a chair.

“Check this out, Cain,” he shows it to me. “Fresh lipstick on the rim. It’s like everyone just suddenly up and left.”

If it’s fresh, then whoever’s glass it was must have left recently…

“But why without their luggage?” Quinn asks.

She’s right, why would the guests, who are paying good money to stay here, just drop everything they brought with them and _leave_?

I remember coming up here, how my phone couldn’t get a connection. Checking again, I see that nothing changed.

“Hey, am I the only one without cell service?”

Everyone checks their phones, and I take their silence as an answer.

“No,” Sean says. “I’m not getting a signal either.”

“Maybe they don’t got any towers here,” Craig suggests.

“Of _course_ the island has cell phone towers, you colossal buffoon,” the pale guy, Aleister, sneers.

“How would _you_ know that?” Zahra demands.

Aleister looks taken aback, and stammers before giving a cold glare.

“Perhaps because I’m not a complete _imbecile_? They were plainly visible in the distance on our approach.”

“Hey Cain,” Diego asks me. “What do _you_ think is going on?”

“Hm…I think…there was some kind of incident,” I answer after a moment. “Like, uh…a gas leak, or an outbreak, or _something_. Something that would make everyone _have_ to drop their things and leave.”

“That’s…” Grace perks up. “Not implausible, actually. This is a volcanic island, after all.”

“Hey, Lila, what do you-” I turn, but our tour guide isn’t anywhere to be found. “Has anyone seen Lila?”

After a few shrugs and silence, I decide to check outside.

The others follow me, and right outside the door, I see Lila pacing back and forth nervously.

“Lila?” Grace asks, concerned. “Are you okay?”

Lila almost jumps, as though she didn’t notice us.

“Oh, me? I’m perfect! I’m sure this is positively nothing to worry about!” she gives a laugh that’s painfully forced. “I bet it’s just a fire alarm test…or maybe even a hotel-wide beach picnic!”

“Yeah, or maybe the Care Bears came down from the clouds,” Jake scoffs. “And took everybody to Happy-Happy-Funtime Land!”

“ _Jake_ ,” Sean scolds, clearly annoyed. “That’s not helping.”

“‘Not helping?’” Jake repeats, scowling. “ _You’re_ the ones sitting around playing story time. How about actually getting some answers? And I’d hate to burst your bubble, but I’m not here to help. I’m here to _get paid_. And right now, ain’t nobody here to pay me.”

“We’re only getting answers if someone around here shows some leadership,” Sean retorts. “Looks like you’re not up to the task.”

“What, you throw a ball around and you think that qualifies you to talk to me about leadership?”

They step closer to each other, both looking equally steamed.

Well, this isn’t good.

I glance around, and it doesn’t look like anyone will step in.

Might as well put my silver tongue to good use…

“Will the _both_ of you quit puffing your chests?!” standing between them as they square off, I try to sound as assertive as possible.

“Whoa, hang on-”

“It’s Captain America here that’s-”

Sean and Jake both speak at the same time, shocked that I stepped up.

“Don’t wanna hear it,” I cut them off, not yelling but I still make myself sound firm. “The only thing getting us nowhere is your little standoff. Shake hands, then put your heads together and help us figure this out.”

I step aside. The two of them sized each other up, and shake hands begrudgingly.

“Better?” I try to sound lighter, to alleviate the remaining tension.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Sean sighs, but gives me a slight smile.

“Whatever,” Jake mutters.

“Well,” Diego steps beside me. “Now that we’ve got the power of friendship, what are we supposed to do, Cain?”

I smile, preparing to joke back, when I realize everyone’s looking at me.

They’re expecting _me_ to give them guidance?

“Oh, uh…”

I’m not a leader. I’ve never been _responsible_ for anyone my whole life. I was just never that kind of person…

…but now…

…okay, calm down. Just think…

“Well, there’s gotta be something around here that will tell us what happened…right? We should split up, and search the hotel for answers.”

Simple, but reasonable. In any mystery, the first step is to get all the clues you can find. ‘Data data data’, and all that.

“Wonderful idea!” Lila backs me up.

“Maybe,” Grace says. “I’ll find something at the pool?”

“Pool, huh?” Jake smirks. “I like the way you think, Brain Trust. Count me in.”

Gee, I wonder why…

“Yo, Craig,” Raj calls out. “If things were normal, what would _we_ be doing right now?”

“Eating, duh.”

“Exactly! We’ll take the restaurant.”

“Alright,” Sean says. “I’ll go with you guys.”

 _Thankfully_ Sean will be there to keep those two on track.

“Perfect!” Lila exclaims. “Where would you like to look, Zahra?”

“Don’t care,” Zahra deadpans.

“How about the ballroom?”

“Still don’t care.”

“I guess I’ll come too,” I say. Lila knows the hotel better than any of us, so she ought to be helpful.

“I think I’ll check out the pool,” Diego tells me.

“Alright,” I smirk. “Try not to let Jake slack off though.”

As everyone splits up into groups, I do a quick scan of everyone…

…wait a sec…

“What is it, Cain?” Diego asks me.

“That girl, the quiet one in the hoodie,” I say, remembering the way she held my gaze. “She’s _gone_.”

Diego looks at me, worried.

“I’m…I’m sure she’s just doing the same as us, looking for clues and stuff.”

“I…” One minute, I feel like I know what I want to say.

The next, the dream static rears its ugly head, and before I know it, I feel another headache coming on.

“Hey, don’t stress out about it too much,” Diego assures me. “Let’s focus on one mystery at a time. First what happened to the guests, and _then_ your new crush, alright?”

“Ah shut it,” I smile. “Good luck at the pool.”

“Let’s hope your nerdy detective side rubbed off on me!” He says as he follows Grace, Aleister, and Jake.

Lila, while talking nonstop about the many events the ballroom hosted, leads me, Zahra, and Quinn there.

We see chandeliers light up the ballroom when we get there. Tables covered in white tablecloth have plates and utensils. Nametags are propped up on each table and a blue carpet decorates the floor.

Not to be bitter, but I can’t help but remember a wedding of one of my father’s clients that I was dragged to just to keep up appearances for his sake. So much money was spent on everything, and just to show that they even _had_ that much money to waste. I also could catch the misery in the bride’s eyes behind her bright smile.

“I guess they were about to have a wedding,” I said.

“Oh good,” Zahra says. “Everyone can relax. Cain is here to state the obvious. No idea how we could cope without that.”

Well…and here I thought I was being observant…

“You like being sarcastic, huh?” I laugh weakly.

“Wow, _two_ in a row!” Zahra grins. “You’re on a roll!”

“What on earth could have happened here?” Lila practically mourns. “Everything’s perfectly intact, the champagne’s poured, the flowers arranged…”

“Just no people,” Quinn says.

“Maybe the bride realized the institution of marriage is a joke, said ‘fuck it all’, and hightailed it outta here,” Zahra suggests.

“Marriage? A joke…?” Lila spoke like the two words had no business in the same sentence.

“I mean, I can respect two people who love each other getting married,” I say. “But weddings like this are a sham. Just people blowing money in a blatant financial dick-measuring contest.”

Zahra cackles.

“ _Nice_!” She holds her hand out for a five, and I oblige her. “I knew I’d like you, and I don’t like anyone!”

Zahra reaches for a bottle of white wine from a nearby table and pops the cork.

“That doesn’t belong to us!” Lila scolds.

“Gonna report me?” Zahra snickers as she pours herself a glass. “Gimme a break. Last I checked, this is still a vacation.”

She pours another glass, hands it to me, and clinks her own against mine.

“Thanks,” we both take a sip, and my eyes widen as the wine’s fruity flavor spreads onto my palette, burning only slightly down my throat.

“Wow, I didn’t realize wine could be _this_ good.”

“No shit,” Zahra chuckles. “This is some genuinely good stuff. They must’ve spent outta control on this.”

“Want some, Quinn?” I ask.

“Oh, what the hell!” she grins. “Might never have the chance again, right?”

Quinn grabs an empty glass and I pour in the wine. She sips it, and picks up the bottle with her free hand.

“Look at the label! This wine was from _1922_!”

The wine glass almost falls right out of my hand.

“You just uncorked an $800 bottle!” Lila cries out.

Zahra chugs the rest of her glass and burps.

“Meh. Wasn’t _that_ good.”

“Hey, wait a second,” I go to a different table, and pick up another bottle of wine that says 1921. “This bottle’s from the 20s too!”

“So is this one!” Quinn holds up a bottle from another table. “Who would spend _that_ much?!”

“The answer,” Zahra declares grandly. “As for most baffling questions, is ‘batshit crazy rich people’.”

“Come on,” Quinn says. “We should head back to the lobby and tell everyone what we found.”

“Whatever,” Zahra shrugs. “But I’m bringing the booze.”

We all make it to the lobby, and see that everyone’s already finished searching.

“Out at the pool,” Diego is talking to Raj. “Aleister _totally_ freaked out when Grace was nice to him!”

“From the restaurant, we saw this thing up on the volcano!” Craig exclaims. “It was, like, there…and then _not_!”

Quinn joins the conversation. “We basically stumbled onto a wedding straight out of the Roaring Twenties in the ballroom!”

I nod. “Yeah, there was a wedding in progress there, with all the guests gone. Every wine bottle was from the twenties.”

Turning, I see Aleister standing by himself, away from the group in front of a painting of a goateed man holding a sword encrusted with green gemstones.

I walk up to him, and…

The man in the picture was from my dreams too.

Right before I woke up, he was surrounded by glowing lava, making his eyes glint red like a demon. Dream static warped the sound of his voice into something inhuman, and the memory of smile he gave me sends a chill up my spine.

“Hey Aleister,” I walk up to him.

“Oh, Cain,” he sounds startled, but clears his throat. “What do you need?”

“Who is that?” I point to the goateed man.

Aleister looks at me oddly.

“That’s Everett Rourke,” he answers. “CEO of Rourke International. He’s the man who built this hotel.”

Everett Rourke…Rourke…

“Rourke…” I say to myself. “I think I’ve seen him before…”

Aleister scoffs.

“Who _hasn’t_? Visionary, genius, conqueror of every industry…”

So he’s a big deal?

Okay, first I didn’t recognize Sean, who’s apparently famous back at Hartfeld, and now _this_ guy?

Aleister scoffs again at the portrait.

“…Looks like an utter _fool_ …” he mutters, giving the painting a cold glare.

He turns to leave, but immediately bumps straight into Grace.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” Grace apologizes.

“Grace, I…” Aleister’s eyes soften for a minute before grits his teeth. “Just watch where you’re going,” he snaps before going on his way.

The expression on Grace, the way her face falls, just makes me want to hug her…

…or punch Aleister.

About 50/50.

“Cain,” Grace turns to me. “Can we talk for a second? You just seem like someone I can trust.”

“Of course,” I say. I’m not sure why she feels she can trust _me_ in particular, but I guess I’ll do what I can. “If it’s about Aleister, don’t take it personally-”

“No, no, it’s not that. It’s…” Grace trails off. “Sorry, never mind. I should go.”

I study her for a while. My first instinct is to press on the issue, but that just might upset her. I’m good at reading people, and from what I’ve seen, Grace doesn’t seem like she’d withhold something important if there isn’t a good reason for it.

“Alright,” I say. “I trust you.”

Grace gasps, her eyes widening in surprise.

“You…you do?”

“Of course,” I smile reassuringly. “I know you’ll do the right thing, and when you’re ready, you’ll share.”

Grace is silent for a moment.

“I found…I found something out by the pool,” she pulls something out from under her sweater. Grace hands it to me.

It’s a tooth.

A tooth that’s almost a _whole foot in length_.

“Oh my…” my blood turns to ice.

“It was right by the fence,” Grace’s voice trembles a bit. “The bars there were…twisted. I didn’t want to share it because I was afraid it would scare some people…it definitely scared _me_.” Grace brightens up, at least a little. “But you made me realize that we’re all in this together, and everyone should know.”

“Right,” I hand her back the tooth. “We should show the others.”

We rejoin the group, and Raj is talking about how he expected everyone to be punking them.

“Hey guys,” I say, and everyone turns to Grace and I. “You should all check this out. Grace found something by the pool.”

I nod at her. Grace nods back and she holds up the tooth.

“What is that, some kinda souvenir?” Craig asks, taking it from her hand.

Grace shakes her head. “It’s not…this is a _real_ tooth. I found it at the fence and…its bars were all mangled. Like… _something_ was trying to get in…”

Craig pales and quickly gives Grace’s back the tooth.

If everyone’s expression is an indicator, Craig’s not the only one who’s a little disturbed.

“There’s no damn way,” Jake insists. “There’s _nothing_ with teeth that big these days. It has to be a fossil, right? _Right_?”

No one answers him. Grace shrugs weakly.

“Alright, well we should focus on one mystery at a time,” I announce, glancing at Diego as I remember his words. “What did you guys find? Maybe we can piece all our clues together.”

“Right,” Sean nods at me. “The restaurant was pretty much the same as the lobby. There were credit cards left behind with their bills. Wherever everyone went, they left in a hurry.”

Alright, that supports the theory that an emergency caused everyone to leave.

“Pool was deserted too,” Jake adds. “Nothing much there.”

“Tch,” Aleister glares at him. “All _you_ paid much attention to were the hammocks, so I’m surprised you noticed. But, he’s correct, believe it or not. We didn’t find anything that could tell us the location of the guests.”

“Also,” Sean adds. “And I’m not an expert on volcanoes, but are dormant volcanoes supposed to have big columns of smoke rising out of them? Because we saw the volcano from the restaurant, and it was smoking like a chimney in the winter.”

“Well,” Grace says hesitantly. “There’s…really no such thing as a _dormant_ volcano. They’re just _inactive_. It could…well, become active at any time though…”

Somehow, everyone seems _more_ silent than when Grace and I presented the tooth.

“Okay,” I try breaking the silence. “So we’ve got one theory of _why_ everyone left. There was a volcano-related emergency and everyone had to evacuate.”

“Yeah, but _where_ did they go?” Michelle asks impatiently.

“Well, uh…” I struggle to come up with an answer. “They’re either still on the island somewhere, or they left.”

“Or whatever that tooth belongs to got to them first,” Zahra suggests grimly.

“So…” Sean looks crestfallen. “After all this, we’re saying we still have no idea where the staff and guests went?”

“All we’ve got is more questions,” Quinn frowns.

“Just like every episode of _Lost_ ,” Diego adds, his voice lacking the usual humor.

God, I _hope_ this isn’t like _Lost_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a bit ahead of schedule, but I decided to post it today in honor of the ES finale.
> 
> ES taught me so much.
> 
> That we should never judge based on first impressions, because sometimes the biggest hearts hide behind masks and walls. Likewise, the deepest pain can hide behind bright smiles.
> 
> Also to treasure every moment you have with your loved ones, and to hold it in your memory forever, and cherish the fact that even when shit hits the fan, you were capable of smiling.
> 
> Finally, it taught me that the only way to ever find hope in any situation, no matter how bad things get, is to get up and move forward.
> 
> PS: I'll be reading that damn visual novel over and over again until my fingers fall off, and I have no shame in it.


	5. Diego's Interlude

Come on, get a hold of yourself.

I can’t spend the rest of the day standing in front of the door.

I’m tired as shit from the bus trip here. All I want is to lie in my new bed and sleep like Dracula on the first day of summer.

I would too, if I hadn’t already seen someone, my roommate apparently, walk into the dorm room while I was coming from down the hall.

So, here I am, right outside the door, struggling to keep calm and carry on.

I make sure to fix the carefully engineered smile on my face, the easygoing smile I learned to give my whole life when things get tough.

Waiting here won’t do any good. I need to go in eventually…

…plus, how awkward would it be to have my new roommate open the door and ram it into my face?

Just my luck, I suppose.

It’s the first day of college. This is supposed to be a fresh start.

No one here knows me. I can make a good impression, and it won’t be a repeat of high school.

What’s the phrase? ‘Fake it ‘til you make it’? Yeah, so just fake being suave and cool and…

…never mind. I can fake smiles and hide behind jokes all I want, but a penguin can’t fly by pretending it can.

That stuff only happens in the movies.

And time and time again, life showed me that if it _is_ a movie, I wouldn’t be the main character.

In a movie, the main character would confess his feelings to his longtime friend turned crush and not get called a homo freak and not become the school pariah overnight.

His parents wouldn’t treat him like he doesn’t exist after hearing the news either.

So, what am I then? The plucky comic relief?

A villain?

Hah.

Maybe I’m one of those nice guys who gets bullied so much he snaps.

Yeah right. I can barely kill a spider at my crappiest, and I _hate_ spiders.

Maybe I’m just an extra. That would make more sense. My whole life, I felt like just a nobody sitting on the sidelines.

Just another faceless part of a crowd, meant to fill up empty space.

Even before the beans spilled and everyone learned I’m gay, things weren’t much better. Everyone just found something new to pick on.

But at least before then, I had refuge at home.

The days when my parents would come home, tired from work but still willing to make room for family time is just a distant memory now.

I jump at the sound of a door slamming from my right.

Damn. I must be so deep in thought I didn’t even notice the guys carrying a TV into the next dorm over.

Okay, just do it. Don’t even think about it.

I grab the doorknob and pull it open like I’m ripping off a band aid.

Right next to one of the clothes drawers, stuffing clothes in from his suitcase, is my new roommate.

He’s tall. Taller than me, but that’s not really saying much. He turns to me, and I get a better look.

A mop of brown hair hangs over his head and only just covers his green eyes in a way that brings up the phrase ‘boy-band chic’ in my head.

For a second he freezes up, looking a bit nervous…

…and then a calming, pleasant smile breaks across his face that I can tell is practiced. He raises his eyebrows just enough to make it look like the smile is genuine.

The exact smile I taught myself to give.

“Hi! I’m Cain Summers. I guess we’ll be roommates now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, all the characters have interludes now. There are going to be four per book, totaling one for each of the twelve Catalysts.


	6. The Letter

“So,” Zahra says. “What do we do now?”

“You go to bed.”

The voice comes from behind me. I whirl around, and there she is.

The scarred girl with the hoodie stands just a few feet closer to me than she was when we had our little staring contest.

“Night is falling,” she continues, and I catch an accent. “You should all get some rest.”

“Estela!” Lila cries out. “There you are! Where have you been?”

“Looking around, same as you.”

“Well?” Michelle asks hopefully. “Did you find anything?”

“Nothing that matters to you people,” Estela says curtly.

“Hey,” I call out, and she turns to me with a piercing gaze. I struggle, but I manage to keep most of my composure. “Shouldn’t you let _us_ decide that?”

Estela keeps a pointed, stoic look at me for a few seconds before speaking again.

“We’ve all got secrets.”

She turns away and vaults over the check-in desk before snatching a room key off the wall.

“Like I said,” Estela makes her way to the hallway leading to the elevators. “Night is falling. I suggest you get some rest. You’re gonna need it.”

She leaves us in silence.

“Okay,” Sean looks bewildered. “What the hell’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

Estela saying that _we’ll need rest_ brings up questions in my mind.

Does she know something about this place? Could she possibly know what’s going on? Is something about to happen?

There’s also the mysterious eleventh passenger. I know it’s tempting to say Estela’s it, but there’s no facts to go on that. Just that minus Jake, Lila, and ten lucky students, there’s one person that shouldn’t be here.

It’s just like Quinn said. More questions, no answers.

Dammit, this is getting way too much like _Lost_.

“It _is_ getting late…” I hear Lila speak as I leave my thoughts. “And we’ll want to be ready to greet everyone when they return from…wherever. Please, everyone, take the key to your assigned room from behind the desk!”

Zahra snickers.

“‘Assigned’? Good one.”

She reaches up higher and takes a key that looks like a queen chess piece.

“I’m taking a penthouse suite! Hotel’s empty, right?” Zahra goes off towards the elevators.

“Well,” Jake grins as he takes a key himself. “Don’t mind if I do.”

“Ah, what the hell,” I say as I watch everyone do the same. “I’ll take an upgrade.” I reach for a key with a heart-shaped handle encrusted with little pink gems. Under it are the words “Honeymoon Suite”.

“So you’re a closet romantic, huh?” Quinn gestures to my key as she and Diego join me, dragging their bags with them, in the same elevator.

“Maybe,” I smirk. “I might also be lured by the promise of fancy wine and chocolates.”

“Oh, that’s actually clever!” Diego says. “You wouldn’t be opposed to having a few guests, right?”

“Yeah, don’t hog all that for yourself!” Quinn laughs. “Things in the honeymoon suite were made to be _shared_ among couples, you know!”

The elevator dings, and we go our separate ways at the penthouse level to find our rooms. I find the door with the right number, and place the key into the lock.

The door swings open as I turn the key, and I’m hit with the smell of several unlit scented candles.

With a red/pink/white theme, the room looks like it was made with all the possible rose colors in mind. On one side of the room is a comfy looking sofa before a coffee table, across from a television. Another table between two chairs holds two empty wine glasses and a corked bottle of champagne. On the side of the couch area is a balcony overlooking the pool. Rose petals are arranged in the floor, leading towards a king sized bed with curtains. Separated by a wall is an honest-to-god _hot tub_.

“Whoa,” I say appropriately.

I pull my suitcase up against the wall, and immediately jump onto the bed.

Damn, this thing is soft.

Probably sturdy too, since it’s made especially for horny newlyweds.

So…now that I’m alone, I might as well put the peace and quiet to good use.

I get off the bed, and zip open my bag.

I didn’t pack much. Just toiletries, clothes, and a messenger bag.

Before the trip, Diego forbade me from packing books. He didn’t want me to have an excuse to spend the whole vacation in my suite.

I didn’t _technically_ bring any books though, if I don’t count my journal. It’s nothing special, just an outlet for my thoughts. What really fills most of the pages are notes I take when I’m in the middle of a mystery novel or movie.

I’ve always loved mysteries and puzzles, situations that make me really use my head.

Making a wild guess that I won’t be wasting much vacation time, assuming there still _would_ be a vacation, I turn to the latest blank page, and dig out a pen.

Sitting down on the nearest chair, I think back to the beginning, the plane ride, and realize I hadn’t thought about the dream for a while.

On the top of the page, I scribble “Strange Dream”, underlined. My hand moves to write about every detail of the dream I can remember…but I hesitate.

It was just a _dream_ , right? It can’t mean anything…

But I still think I _had_ to have seen Sean, Jake, and Rourke at some point in time to dream of them. You don’t just dream of people you never met before.

I checked my phone again. Still no bars. I’ll have to do a bit of research on dreams next chance I have internet access.

Shaking my head, I decide to go back to the next mystery in my mind. The eleventh passenger.

Okay. So there were ten winners for the trip to La Huerta. Ten. No more. And I’m leaving Lila and Jake out of the equation.

Maybe…the eleventh passenger isn’t a student, like the rest of us? It’s a fact that the ten winners are students at Hartfeld. If there’s someone who isn’t a fellow student, then they’d be the most likely culprit…

 _Culprit_? Okay, I think I’m taking this a bit too seriously. I mean, being on a plane doesn’t make someone a _criminal_. Besides, maybe they just _work_ on the island? And they’re taking the same plane we are just to get here, no foul motive included?

Estela seems like the most obvious candidate. Her comment about us getting rest implies she know something about this place…

…and I just can’t shake the feeling that there’s _something else_ up. I tend to rely on reason over gut feelings, but…

Is it possible I met _her_ before, like I probably did with Sean, Jake, and Rourke?

I try to think if Estela seems familiar at all, if I had ever seen her before…

…Focusing, I calm down, trying to think of a time I had ever seen her before today- _SHIT._

There’s the static again.

At full force too. Hello again, headache!

I rub my forehead, almost groaning at the sudden pain. _Ow_ …I glance at the champagne bottle on the table beside me.

“To hell with it,” I mutter, grabbing the bottle and popping the cork. I pour myself a glass, and take a good long sip of the bubbly, fruity drink.

Remembering the ballroom, I check the bottle before recorking it.

“1993,” I read. “Okay, so not _all_ the booze here is ancient.”

I rub my temple and take another sip. This damn _static_ is a mystery on its own.

Not to mention that lingering _I owe him_ on my mind regarding Jake.

Dammit, I’m just acting screwy. I’m probably coming down with something. Or maybe it’s lingering stress from finals.

I decide to focus on what happened to everyone at the hotel.

That’s probably less likely to give me a headache.

Okay so…everyone left their stuff here. Bags, and according to Sean, credit cards too. So something serious must have happened if they prioritized leaving over their possessions.

Assuming they left willingly…

There didn’t seem to be any signs of violence, aside from the twisted fence Grace told me about. So either way, the guests and the staff must have left without a scuffle.

I remember the tooth Grace found too. I’m no expert on animals or fossils, so I don’t know what could have teeth like that, or whether or not it really is just a fossil. I’ll have to find out exactly _what kind_ of rare species live on La Huerta and nowhere else… _including_ that flying seahorse.

There’s the possible scenario that someone trashed the fence and left the tooth there to make someone, us or the authorities, think there’s a monster animal on the loose.

I’m hoping that’s the case. I don’t want to think about what could have left that tooth…

So…the wine glass Diego showed me proves that the guest who drank from it left recently. But the airstrip, judging from the dust, was clearly deserted for a while. _Much_ longer than a day.

I already made one theory that the volcano began smoking, and that triggered an evacuation of the hotel. But…wouldn’t they have done something to keep us from coming if that’s the case? Were they not able to contact us?

Or did they neglect telling us altogether?

Looking at the page of my journal I turned to, still blank, I down the rest of my champagne. I wonder where the chocolate I anticipated is…

I run through all the facts I know. The guests and staff left the hotel peacefully, abandoning all their possessions. The airstrip was abandoned considerably longer than the hotel was. The fence near the pool was damaged, and left close by was a massive tooth.

I have the theory that there was an evacuation because of the volcano, but it relies mainly on assumptions. Even then it doesn’t explain where the guests are.

Shoving my journal back in my bag, I throw myself onto the bed. Dammit. I’m still nowhere-

There’s a knock at my door.

I jump out of the bed, and I can feel a blush rising in my cheeks.

Could it be…? No way…

…but _what if?_

I stop by the mirror on the room’s dresser, smoothing my shirt and making sure my hair falls the right way.

Preparing my best smile, I open the door…

“‘Sup.”

“Oh! Hey, Diego,” I step aside to let him in.

“Expecting someone else?”

“What? No!”

 _Why_ am I friends with him again?

“Uh-huh, sure,” Diego gives me an evil grin as he steps into my room. “I know you too well, Cain. If you’re crushing on someone here, I’m gonna find out who it is.”

“You’re such a troll.”

“You know it,” Diego surveys my room. “Okay, no fair. How come you get your own private hot tub?! Is it too late to trade?”

“You snooze, you lose,” I smirk. “What kind of room did you get?”

“Rainforest room. It’s pretty cool too, makes me feel like I’m in an _Indiana Jones_ movie.”

Diego bellyflops on my bed, and I sit down beside him.

“What. A. Day!” He breathes out.

“So,” I begin, wondering what his take on all this is. He’s pretty bright. “What do _you_ think is going on here?”

“Hm? I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”

“Yeah, it’s all pretty strange,” I nod.

“And I know this is only because I watch an unhealthy amount of movies, but remember how I was saying I wanted this week to be an adventure?” Diego’s eyes turn wistful. “One that’ll stay with us forever?”

I nod again.

“I figured maybe…just _maybe_ the universe is finally listening.”

Diego laughs and shakes his head.

“But with my luck, I’ll probably be back to getting bullied again, come morning.”

Oh Diego…

…always hiding your pain behind a smile.

But hey, I’m no one to criticize. I do the same.

That’s where our similarities end, though. I’m the cause of my own pain, and everyone around you was the one who inflicted pain on _you_. Your peers and even your own _parents_.

You’re a better person than I’ll ever be. You’re my first real friend, Diego. So I’ll do everything I can to be a true friend to you back.

“Well,” I muster up a smile and ruffle his hair. “Sometimes, you’ve just got to force the universe to listen. Take the reins of your own life and steer it where you want.”

“You sound like a bad motivational speaker,” Diego chuckles. He grabs a pillow, whacking me with it slightly. Laughing, I’m about to retaliate, but I hear a crinkling sound and something hitting the floor.

“Wait a sec,” I look at the ground and find a folded piece of paper.

“ _That_ was under the pillow?” Diego asks.

I open the slip, which is old and yellowed with age. I read aloud the looping, cursive letters aloud.

“‘I must see you one last time before tomorrow’,” I recite. “‘Meet me at our spot in Neptune Cove. Midnight.’ And look,” I point to a lipstick imprint under the word ‘midnight’. “Sealed with a kiss.”

“And here,” Diego takes the letter and turns it over. “There’s more, in different handwriting. ‘I’ll be there’. Huh. Someone was planning a steamy rendezvous. I read on the pamphlet that Neptune Cove is on the other side of the island. Maybe _that’s_ where everyone went?”

“I don’t think so,” I say. “This letter looks years old.”

Suddenly, I hear a pounding at my door.

“Who could that be,” I mutter.

I lay the letter on a nearby table. The knocking continues as I walk to the door. Whatever it is, it must be serious if they’re hitting the door that hard-

“WHOA!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So most of this chapter was my MC being an amateur detective. I hope it wasn't too boring. And a fraction of Cain and Diego's past was mentioned, albeit vaguely. The next chapter will have a bit more on that.
> 
> And what could have happened at the end? Who was at the door? Is it Craig, or someone else...?


	7. The Party

“What up, what up, what _uuuuup_!”

Craig, oblivious to my shock, lets himself in when I open the door. He’s holding liquor bottles in his hands.

Sean, Raj, and Zahra follow, all holding bottles too.

“We’re heading to the pool to rage!” Raj grins. “Yeah, that’s right, it’s a Raj Rage!”

“I thought we were all going to sleep,” I say awkwardly.

“We’ve got all the time in the world to sleep,” Zahra scoffs.

Diego nudges me, pointing out the balcony window. I look and see several of the others lounging around the pool area.

“Oh hell yes,” Diego smiles with a childish glee. “I was _so_ hoping this would happen.”

“I don’t know,” I rub the back of my neck. “It’s pretty late.”

“Come _on_ ,” Diego goads me. “We _promised_ we’d make the most of this trip.”

We _did_ …it was actually pretty cute to see Diego talk nonstop about the vacation after we found out we won.

We meant this trip to be a break from our routines, to be a whole week to live and cut loose before we graduate and have to become functioning adults.

“So, Cain,” Sean smiles. “You’re coming, right?”

A party doesn’t actually sound that bad…but with everything that’s going on, should that really be a priority?

But…there doesn’t seem to be anything dangerous going on right now, so…

“What the hell,” I say. “I’m in!”

“Cain! Cain! Cain!” Raj chants my name. Craig and even Zahra join in.

We all head to the elevators, and before we know it, we’re at the pool. Lights are strung up, stretching across the palm trees.

I see Grace and Quinn putting finishing touches on the party lights.

“Wow,” I lay my shirt and pants on a lawn chair, clad in only my swimming trunks. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”

“Oh!” Grace smiles as she sees me. “There’s Cain!”

“We found all these in that supply shed by the towels!” Quinn says. “Grace rewired the circuits to make the lights sync with the music!”

“Not bad!” I marvel.

I see Jake at the poolside bar, mixing cocktails, shirtless and also in trunks.

He’s got a decent amount of muscle for someone of his height…

…not that I’m taking any particular notice or anything…

_I’m not!_

“How’d you get roped into tending bar, Jake?” Diego asks, amused. “You lose a bet?”

“Pssh, as if I’ve ever lost a bet,” Jake grins. “You should have seen the kinds of drinks these maniacs were pouring. Drax over here,” he thrusts his thumb at Craig. “Just filled his to the brim with cinnamon whiskey.”

“What?” Craig shrugs. “I call it the Aggro-Craig! It’s my go-to!”

Jake immediately finishes up a cocktail in a frosted glass and slides it over to Craig.

“Try that.”

Craig looks at it suspiciously before taking a sip.

“ _Whoa!_ That just blew my mind!”

“It’s called a Sazerac,” Jake says, looking proud of himself. “Consider yourself enlightened.”

Craig immediately starts chugging his drink.

“Hey, _hey_! It’s meant to be _savored_!”

“Can I get something?” I asked.

“Hm?” he turns his attention from Craig. “Alright Boy Scout, what’s your poison?”

“Uh…” the only drink I know about that requires any mixing is a rum and coke, so I think for a moment.

“How ‘bout I make a new drink?” Jake offers before I can say anything. “One inspired by you?”

“By _me?_ ” I can’t imagine how I’d be a good basis for a drink, but why not? “Alright.”

Jake gets mixing, looking almost like a cartoony mad scientist as he pours liquids and shakes them in a flask together. Soon, he hands me a glass full of a multicolored drink. I take a sip.

“Huh…it’s a bit all over the place. Salty and sweet, tangy and bitter, dry and fruity…it’s a little bit of everything.”

“Yeah,” Jake nods. “It doesn’t know what it wants to be just yet. But I think it has the potential to be anything.”

I stare at him for a few moments, feeling a bit… _bare._

“That’s…surprisingly thoughtful…”

Jake chuckles.

“You had to go and qualify that with ‘surprisingly’, huh? I can’t be ‘typically’ thoughtful?”

“You wish,” I grin. “Thanks for the drink, Aragorn.”

I walk off and try to keep the smile on my face.

Doesn’t know what it wants to be yet and has the potential to be anything?

Well, at least half of it sounds like me.

I have two very general majors, communications and business. I have no idea of the direction I want to go in, just that I’ll need to do everything I can to find a job after I graduate so I can find a place to live and pay student loans.

I used to be so sure that I’d be a lawyer like my father. The plan was always to go to a good law school and work at my dad’s law firm.

But I haven’t been sure of what I wanted to be ever since…

…well…that isn’t a healthy train of thought to go down.

So, I keep that pleasant, sociable smile on my face, and I try to stay out of my thoughts by mingling.

I chat a bit with Michelle, who says that the Celestial’s chef is a family friend of a family friend. She makes me promise to go to the hotel restaurant when the staff shows up. I talk with Grace too, who points out where a massive tree grew around the fence in a misshapen way. That gets Aleister to join in the conversation, attributing it to the rich soil of the island, and is completely taken aback when he gets complimented for knowing the fact.

Soon, I find myself eating delicious veggie and shrimp skewers that Raj mass produces from the grill. God, the spiced shrimp and vegetables together taste heavenly…

“Seems like you’re enjoying yourself,” Diego notes.

“I am,” I say, and that’s true. Small talk and conversation are my element, and a chance to get my mind off my worries is always welcome. “I’m glad I decided to come. It’s been pretty great getting to know everyone.”

Diego’s smile widens.

“Seems you’ve caught a couple pairs of eyes, too,” he looks up past me, and up on a hill overlooking the party, I see Estela, who at this angle, is framed by the starry sky.

She catches my gaze, and I practically freeze like a deer in headlights.

But to my surprise, it’s _she_ who looks away.

“Hey,” Sean calls from the pool. “Who’s up for a game of Marco Polo?” Some of the others eagerly dive into the pool. Sean grins at me. “Well, Cain? You in or out?”

“Um…” I hesitate a bit, my eyes darting between Sean and Estela.

“Hey, remember what I told you, right?” Diego says. “This is _your_ moment.”

“Maybe some other time, Sean,” I say apologetically.

“No worries,” his grin doesn’t fade, and he turns to his friends in the pool.

I grab my shirt and pull it on. I also take a blanket from a lawn chair.

Walking up the cliffside, I see Estela sitting at the edge, her legs dangling over.

Immediately, she looks back, towards me.

“What is it?” She asks, her voice even.

“I, uh…” I fumble a bit under her gaze. “I just thought you might want some company…”

Estela keeps looking at me, saying nothing.

Dammit, I should have known this would be silly. I mean, if she actually _wanted_ company, then she would have joined the party.

“Sorry to bother you,” I say sheepishly, feeling my cheeks heat up.

I turn to leave, but her voice stops me in my tracks.

“No,” I turn back to her, and she looks a bit hesitant, _nervous_ almost. “Stay…”

Her hair, which I just now notice is free from her ponytail, falls gently across her face. The starlight that’s still framing her reflects in her eyes, making them sparkle.

I find my feet moving towards her to the edge on their own.

Sitting down beside her, I mirror her and let my legs hang over the cliff. We both face the Caribbean ocean rolling onto the rocks beneath us.

Remembering the blanket in my hand, I hold it to her. “Here.”

Estela practically recoils, her eyes narrowing at me.

“Why?”

“Uh…” Here I am, fumbling again. “To be nice?”

She studies me for a moment before taking the blanket and putting it over her shoulders.

“Thank you,” she says.

So she’s slow to trust.

I can respect that, I guess.

“Where I’m from,” Estela’s gaze is turned towards the stars. “People don’t do things for you without expecting something in return.”

I can’t blame her for thinking that way, but I don’t want her to be uncomfortable around me.

“Well maybe some people just want to be liked in return,” I say, flashing a warm smile.

“Isn’t that _pathetic_? How lonely we all are?”

Ouch…

…you’re pretty blunt, huh?

“Well,” Estela turns her head away from me, but I can hear her tone get lighter, like she’s _smiling_. “At least _you’re_ honest about it.”

We sit for a while longer, and I find that the silence is almost…comfortable. Our eyes are turned to the set of stars up above.

A gust of wind rushes by, and I shiver a bit.

“You’re cold too,” Estela remarks.

She scoots closer and wraps part of the blanket around me, so we’re both huddled under it together.

“That was nice of you,” I say, and I find that I don’t have to force my smile much.

Estela, for the first time since I met her, _smiles_ at me, and even though it’s small and hesitant, it catches me off guard. It’s so _genuine_ and reaches her eyes that I find myself still looking at her when her smile fades.

“What?” she asks. I flush.

“Um, nothing,” I turn my head back to the stars.

Suddenly, a pair of shooting stars appear, streaking across the sky before vanishing.

“Wow,” I gasp before grinning. “Did you see that? That was so beautiful.”

I see a smile forming on Estela’s face for a minute…

…but her usual stoic expression returns as she stands abruptly. The half of the blanket that was on her shoulders slides off.

“I have to go,” she says. “Look, Cain, the people in my life usually end up getting hurt. And I don’t mean their feelings.”

“Estela, wait-” I say as she turns to leave.

“You seem like a good person,” she stops and turns her head back towards me. “I don’t want that to happen to you.”

I see Estela disappear into the dark, leaving me with a strangely empty feeling in my gut.

From the way we were just now, I felt completely at ease around her, like my previous worry about her never even existed.

And her leaving…that’s her way of _protecting_ me?

Sighing, I make my way back to the party, forcing a smile back on.

I see Craig standing on the roof of one of the pool’s gazebo.

“Let’s do this!”

“Craig!” Aleister hollers. “That’s clearly against pool regulations!”

“Oh yeah? I don’t see anything that says ‘No Badasses Allowed’! COWABUNGA!”

With a grin, Craig cannonballs into the water, sending a massive splash to everyone by the poolside…

…including Diego.

I burst out laughing as he sputters out a mouthful of water.

“Hey, not funny!” He pouts, and I can’t stop laughing long enough to retort.

“I guess it’s humor you need a bathing suit to get!” Quinn says through her own laughter.

“Oh my fucking god, the water almost got me!” Michelle shouts. “If you ruin my makeup, I will ruin _your face!_ ”

“I give that one a solid ten!” Raj announces, pushing his now-wet hair from over his eyes.

Grace, who had the foresight to take cover, peeks out from behind the waterfall’s fake mountain and holds a hand over her mouth, unsuccessfully hiding her laughs.

“If you’re gonna refill drinks _that_ way,” Jake deadpans, holding a glass with its tiny umbrella drenched. “Maybe next time do that in a pool of whiskey instead?”

Able to catch my breath again, I volunteer to get some towels.

Making my way to the supply shed, I leave the lighting of the pool behind, and everything from the sea and the jungle are in shadow.

I was never scared of the dark. I mean, I get a little jumpy with the lights off after watching horror movies, but who doesn’t?

Nevertheless, I find myself moving quicker to scoop up towels in my arms, and I get this weird feeling…a chill up my spine as though…

I pause and peer past the fence, and I get another, much stronger chill. The jungle is so thick that the moon can’t cast light on its darkness.

“Hello…?” I ask dumbly, stepping closer to the vegetation…closer…

…and I see it.

A massive shadow moves slowly towards me, with big glowing eyes boring right into me-

-and I _scream_.

I fall onto my back, desperately scrambling away from that _thing_ and _oh my god it’s moving closer about to step in the moonlight holy shit-_

“CAIN!”

I hear Sean’s voice as he and several of the others sprint over from the party.

“What happened?!” Sean kneels down beside me. “Are you okay?”

All I can do, beside stammer for a minute, is point to where I saw…

…what the _fuck_?!

“Did you see something in the forest?”

“What was it?”

It’s gone.

The thing with the glowing eyes is _gone_.


	8. La Huerta Island Theater: Convergence

So how was the first day of the rest of your life?

You’ve certainly enjoyed yourself…for the most part, at least.

Ah, how I envy you. Living your life and meeting new and exciting people! Growing to love them and then immediately losing them in horrifying ways.

Hahahahaha! I’m getting ahead of myself.

Look at you. Just one road among many that’s now joined with several others, leading to a destination you could never have imagined! What a beautiful thing!

So many paths converging, uniting from their many different starting points to meet _here._

So many lives. Like a snowball, each of you roll down and accumulate the bits and piece of your past in you, making you the people you are today.

All rolling towards each other, making a grand explosion!

Some would say fate is like a tree, branching off from the trunk into many different paths of people’s lives.

They’d be wrong of course.

If you cut off where the branch first started to grow, then the branch is undone and falls onto the ground and rots.

People cut themselves off from where they first grew _all the time._ Yet, they live on.

After all, the past is a _chain_. Binding you to a rock and leaving you to be devoured.

Not funny?

Oh, right. Too soon. Silly me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So along with the interludes, I’m adding this to my fics. If you’re part of the Danganronpa fandom, then you’ll know this is based off the Monokuma Theater. The idea is that this is an intermission that happens at the end of every day. In Danganronpa, it’s hosted by the main antagonist. Here, the La Huerta Theater’s host shall remain nameless for the foreseeable future, but some hints will be given.
> 
> And for anyone unfamiliar with Danganronpa, it’s a really great fandom! There are three anime series’ and a bunch of games. I strongly recommend you get into it if you haven’t. It reminds me a lot of ES. There are a bunch of people thrust into a dangerous and mysterious situation. Except Danganronpa has a lot more murder. And evil teddy bears. Curious? Check it out!


	9. The Trail

They stare into me…the eyes that almost _burn_.

The thing’s form moves through the darkness, getting closer…closer… _closer_ …

I wake up.

Looking around at my room, everything comes back to me.

After I saw that _thing_ , the joyous atmosphere of the party was gone pretty fast. I decided to go to sleep, thanking the others for their concern (the ones that actually _seemed_ concerned, at least) before going to my room.

I notice the neck hole of my shirt is drenched from cold sweat.

Shaking my head, I shrug my clothes off as I get ready for a shower.

My mind’s still in a haze after waking up, but I still force it to go over every detail I saw of the thing while I was screaming.

It had glowing eyes…what animals have glowing eyes? Words from a nature documentary shown in my Honors Bio class in high school come back to me, and I remember it saying wolves have glowing eyes in the night…

…could it have been a giant _wolf?_

Dammit…I feel another headache coming on.

I didn’t even drink that much last night!

I notice that I’ve been in the shower for way too long, and I rub and rinse shampoo quickly before turning the valve off. After a shave and a change of clothes, I make my way to the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast.

No one meets me in the hallway. I guess some people are either sleeping in or everyone’s already awake.

My phone reads 10:44, so it’s probably the latter.

When I reach the restaurant, I’m met with…a smell that’s a mix of several things at once, but overwhelmingly _fishy_.

“Uh, Raj,” I hear Sean say. “When you said you were going to cook breakfast, I figured, you know, pancakes and bacon. Not… _what_ did you say this was?”

“The _Raj Hangover Special 9000_!” he declares grandly. “The perfect combo of eggs, potatoes, oysters, and bananas, complete with a top of pickle juice! Trust me dudes, this’ll cure your hangovers faster than you can say ‘this tastes gross and weird’!”

“This tastes gross and weird,” Jake deadpans.

“‘I do not want this in this place, I do not want this in my face,’” Zahra groans.

“Y’all are missing out,” Craig says with his mouth half full. “This shizz is delicious!”

“I once saw you eat a _rock_ ,” Michelle snarks.

“That was on a dare, and I won ten bucks!”

I walk a bit further into the room. Everyone immediately notices me, and the noise dies down.

I’ve been the center of attention before, but usually it was because I carried myself as the master of the situation.

Now, I just feel like a circus attraction.

I feel myself blush under everyone’s gazes, and Jake breaks the silence.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t ‘The Boy Who Cried Monster’.”

They…

…they think I _made the whole thing up…?_

After screaming my ass off and making myself look like an idiot…they think I _faked_ it?

“Seriously Cain,” Raj laughs. “You shut down the party faster than the cops back home!”

And all of a sudden…

…I just feel so _angry_.

Blood rushes to my ears, and I’m vaguely aware of someone else speaking.

Don’t these people see that there’s something wrong, and possibly _dangerous_ , going on? They honestly think a fucking _party_ is a higher priority?

And they honestly thought…what, that I should _apologize?!_

“I’m sure you all probably think I’m crazy, or _whatever_ ,” I find myself saying harshly. “But I _know_ I’m not. I saw something out there, and I won’t pretend I didn’t just to make you all feel better. No amount of partying is gonna get rid of the fact that something weird is going on here.”

I finish, and I’m surprised at myself.

Where the _hell_ did that come from?

Usually, I’d just laugh the whole thing off just to please everyone…

…but why is _this_ so different? Why did I just feel as strongly as I did now?

Raj shrinks, and I immediately feel guilty.

“I was just trying to lighten the mood…”

Everyone looks at me annoyed. I want to apologize for the outburst, but the damage is done I guess.

They ignore me and go back to either talking or eating.

But I notice Estela still looking at me, giving me a small nod, and…is that _admiration_ in her eyes?

“Hey there, stranger,” I notice Diego materializing next to me, holding a plate full of Raj’s dish. “Doing okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” I can’t bring myself to muster up a convincing smile. “Just…just a rough night. So, how is that?” I gesture to his food.

“This? Actually not that bad,” he smiles. I know he knows I’m changing the subject, and I’m grateful he’s not commenting on it.

“Good, because I _need_ food right now,” I say, and he walks me to the buffet table.

“So…” he says when I have a full plate. “Hate to sound like every bad high school movie ever, but what table should we sit at?”

I glance around, and see two tables with two open seats. One has Michelle, Raj, and Craig sitting together, with Michelle asking if anyone knows where the hotel’s gym is. The other has Grace, Aleister, and Zahra.

Raj doesn’t seem like someone who would take my outburst personally, but I guess it would be better to let this cool down just in case.

Plus, Grace is talking about something peculiar she noticed on the beach, and that piques my interest.

Diego and I take our seats. I notice that only Zahra and Grace have plates, and both were untouched. Zahra’s is pushed aside as she favors a cup of coffee instead. Aleister sits with nothing but a cup of tea in front of him.

“Hi Cain!” Grace smiles at us. “I was just about to tell Zahra and Aleister about something _really_ interesting I discovered!”

“Alright, nerdette,” Zahra glowers. “You’ve got sixty seconds ‘til I die of boredom. What’s your big find?”

“Well, I was walking down by the beach and I saw some shells I never saw before. They were spirally and covered with sharp protrusions.”

“Wait,” I say, remembering the beach yesterday. “You mean the ones that look like pinecones?”

“Yes, exactly!” Grace beams. “I went back to my room and tried looking them up in my marine biology textbook, and there’s _nothing_. I can’t find one shell that even comes close.”

“Wait,” Zahra interjects. “Rewind. Resume. You brought your textbooks on a _vacation?_ ”

“Maybe…?”

“Congrats. You’re officially the dorkiest person I’ve ever met.”

“Hey, it’s a vacation,” I try to sound good-natured. “The point _is_ to do whatever you want.”

“Not to mention how sad it is,” Aleister comments. “If seeking to be informed is looked down upon. _I_ find Grace bringing her books commendable.”

Grace lights up like a fireworks display.

“Really?”

Aleister turns red while he stammers.

I chuckle, scooping some of Raj’s dish into my mouth.

It’s…not _horrible_ , I guess. Kinda like an omelet with an aftertaste that’s fishy, fruity, and pickley altogether.

“You actually _like_ that stuff?” Zahra wrinkles her nose at me as I take a second spoonful.

“It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever had,” I admit. “Plus, I’m used to acquired tastes.”

“Cain’s a closet foodie,” Diego informs. “If it’s weird, sorry, ‘ _unique_ ’, then he’s probably dragged me somewhere to eat it with him.”

“In that case, here you go,” Zahra slides her plate to me. “My good deed for the year.”

“Good morning everyone!” Lila’s chipper voice follows as she enters the room. “I hope you’re all enjoying our five-star restaurant…but I might’ve found out what happened to all the guests.”

That gets me to put my spoon down and pay attention pretty quickly.

“Well?” Jake asks. “Spit it out, dimples.”

“I went into the staff office to look for information, and one of the computers there, used for island-wide broadcasts, was still running. Turns out, exactly two days ago at 3:45 PM, someone used the emergency broadcast system to trigger a full evacuation of the hotel.”

“An _evacuation?_ ” I ask. So I _was_ on the right track with my theory.

“It’s a standard procedure at all Rourke International resorts! In the events of a natural disaster, the guests vacate the premises and head to a secure shelter!”

“A disaster? Like a volcanic eruption?”

“Yes! Precisely! The Celestial’s evacuation procedures were designed specifically to cover the event of Mount Atropo erupting!”

“ _Why_ ,” Zahra asks, looking disturbed. “Do you sound _happy_ about that?”

“I’m no geologist,” Jake speaks up. “But I’m pretty sure that volcano didn’t go off two days ago.”

“Then why trigger the evacuation procedure?” Sean asks.

“False alarm maybe,” Quinn suggests. “But then why hasn’t anyone come back?”

“Everyone should still be at the shelter,” Estela asserts. “Where is it, Lila?”

“I, uh…” Lila stammers. “I don’t entirely know. I’ve never actually been there…but the signs on the trail say we’ll find it if we hike north a few miles.”

“I’m in,” Jake says.

“I’m sorry?”

“You’re going to look for the shelter, right? I’m coming with you. I was already supposed to get paid and be in Cancun this time today. While the rest of these kids are having fun playing _Home Alone 2: Island Boogaloo_ , I’m losing cash every second I waste here.”

“I’ll come as well,” Aleister says. “I’d like to get the lay of the land around here.”

“I want to go too!” Quinn stands up. “I’d love to help out and see some of the sights.”

“How about you, Boy Scout?” Jake turns to me. “You coming?”

“Uh…well…” I remember last night, and I’m not in the mood to see that thing _again_.

But…this _is_ a good chance to get some answers…

“Hey, don’t worry about it. If you’re scared, you’re scared. Just stay back here with the rest of the Goof Troop.”

“Are you trying to goad me?”

“Is it working?” Jake smirks.

I find myself pouting a bit.

“Yeah…” I get up. “I guess I’ll come then. I want to know what’s going on.”

“You sure that’s a good idea, Cain?” Diego asks me. “This is starting to fit the plot of a horror movie I saw once.”

“Come on, aren’t you a _little_ curious why everyone went to the shelter?”

“Oh yeah sure. ‘Hey guys, let’s go check out the mysterious shelter on the deserted island! What could possibly go wrong?’ Next thing you know? Bam. Zombie chow.”

“I’ll take my chances,” I laugh.

“Fine, fine. I’ll go with you. But only so I can say ‘I told you so’ when something horrible attacks us.”

“That’s the spirit,” I ruffle Diego’s hair.

“All right then,” Lila claps her hands together and grins. “Let’s head out!”

* * *

 

We leave the hotel, and soon we’re on a winding dirt trail going through the jungle.

Diego and I are side-by-side, led by Lila, while Jake and Aleister are behind us. Quinn’s a bit all over the place, marveling at every flower we pass by.

“No zombies yet,” I smirk at Diego.

“We might run into King Kong though. The jungle’s big enough.”

My laugh is a bit strained by the memory of two glowing eyes, burning in the darkness.

“Hey, I’m sure whatever you saw last night, it was more afraid of you than you were of it. I’m pretty sure that’s how wild animals work.”

“I can only hope,” I mutter before turning my head slightly back. “Hey, Aleister?”

“What is it?”

“You know a lot about the wildlife on La Huerta, right?”

“If by that you mean I actually _took the time_ to research the place we would be staying at for the week, then yes, you could say that.”

“Yeah…anyway, exactly what kinds of animals live here?”

“A jungle such as this can support a very wide variety of life.”

“That’s right!” Lila beams. “Due to its geographic isolation, La Huerta has one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet! It boasts flora and fauna not found anywhere else!”

“I think Boy Scout here’s asking for something that fits whatever cryptid he saw at the party,” Jake throws in.

“Is _that_ what brought this up?” Aleister scoffs. “Your episode from last night?”

“If Cain says he saw something, I believe him,” Diego defends me quickly. “He _wouldn’t_ just make this up.”

“We _know_ he wouldn’t, Diego,” Quinn holds her hands up calmingly. She glances at Aleister and Jake. “And it’s not gonna hurt to take it a bit more seriously.”

Aleister sighs.

“Since _you’re_ the only one who saw it, then I cannot help you.”

“I remember what I saw,” I say. “Partly, at least. It was in the dark. It was…well _big_ , and had glowing eyes.”

“Glowing…?” Aleister muses. “If body mass and glowing eyes are all you have to go on, then that leaves a long list of possibilities.”

“Why, are glowing eyes a common thing?”

“Firstly, the eyes do not ‘glow’. They reflect light with the _tapetum lucidum_ behind the retina, allowing the animal better nocturnal vision.”

“Right,” I won’t even ask what a _tapetum lucidum_ is. “So, how many animals are able to do that?”

“A great many. Cats, dogs, deer, cattle, horses, even kangaroos. And it only further proves that it’s a matter that is of no use dwelling on.”

“Oh, okay…” I say, shoving any frustration down like I failed to do back at the hotel. I muster a smile at Aleister. “Thanks for helping though.”

He looks at me, surprised, but covers it quickly with a scowl.

“Tch, you’re still in the dark about what you saw. Assuming it wasn’t an alcohol-induced hallucination.”

“Oh my god!” I hear Quinn. “Look at these flowers!”

I look over to her, and see what she’s holding up.

Diego’s eyes nearly pop out of his head.

“Are they…?”

I gasp.

“They’re actually…”

“Glowing!” Quinn’s sniffs the flower she’s holding, still attached to a hanging vine. “Unbelievable…these colors and textures are like something out of a dream!”

I take a closer look, and it really is _glowing_. The purple flower pulses with bioluminescent light.

“Okay…” I turn to Aleister. “Are there at least _flowers_ that glow that are pretty common?”

“No,” he seems more bored than in awe. “Nothing like this.”

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Lila grins.

“Oh sure,” Jake snorts. “Beautiful and a friggin’ unnatural.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“That this place isn’t the Disney paradise the Rourke International propaganda makes it. Drink at the right dive bars, and you hear rumors about what _really_ goes on here. Criminal plots, illegal experiments, folks vanishing without a trace. All kinds of crazy shit.”

“Conspiracy theories?” Quinn laughs lightly. “Isn’t that a little over the top?”

“Laugh it up, Pippi Longstocking. While you were tweeting about pumpkin spice lattes, I was flying covert missions over Kandahar. Once you take a peek behind the curtain…well, let’s just say there are a few things out there that would blow your mind. And those flowers you’re ooh-ing and ahh-ing about? They just might be sizzling with radiation.”

“That is _preposterous_ ,” Aleister scoffs.

“Still, don’t come crying to me when you grow a second nose from sniffing those things.”

“Hold on,” Lila stops abruptly, and we almost bump into her. “This doesn’t make any sense.”

“What doesn’t?”

“Well, the signpost said the shelter should be right here!”

“Wonderful,” Aleister snaps. “Even the tour guide is lost. What do they pay you for again?”

“Tactical scouting 101, kids,” Jake points to a cliff off in the distance. “Get to high ground. I’m checking the cliff out.”

“Oh, do you hear that?” Quinn asks. We all quiet down, and we hear the sound of running water. “Sounds like a waterfall nearby. The shelter might be near that.”

“Or,” Diego smirks. “You just want to check out the waterfall.”

“Maybe…” Quinn smiles mischievously.

“I really think we should stick to the trail,” Lila insists. “The shelter might just be further ahead.”

“Why don’t we split up?” I suggest.

“Good idea,” Diego says. “I’ll stick to the trail with Lila.”

“I’ll wait right here,” Aleister declares. “I see no reason to traipse around on a fool’s errand.”

“What do you say, Boy Scout?” Jake asks. “Wanna keep me company?”

I think for a second before answering.

“Yeah, alright,” I follow Jake through the jungle, splitting off from the others.

Jake, without any apparent effort, hops over a log and slides under a low hanging branch.

“Wow,” I say, genuinely impressed. “You do this a lot?”

“Get stranded on creepy islands with a group of plucky college kids?” he asks. “Gotta say, it’s a first.”

That gets a laugh from me.

“I meant hiking and walking through jungles. You seem pretty confident in the outdoors.”

“I grew up in a small Louisiana town. So rural it wasn’t even on the map. When it comes down to it, the swamp and the jungle aren’t that different.”

“Except instead of alligators, you get jaguars?”

“Exactly,” Jake smirks. “What about you, Boy Scout? This your kinda scene?”

“Not really…” I admit sheepishly. “I grew up pretty close to the city.”

“Of course. Bet you’ve never spent a day roughing it in your life.”

Jake doesn’t really sound critical, but I still can’t help but feel embarrassed.

“Yeah…I don’t really know the first thing about the outdoors.”

“That why you came along with me? To learn a few survival tips?”

“Pretty much. I mean, sarcasm aside, you seem like you know what you’re doing. Another thing, why, and I’m not complaining, but why do you keep inviting me to go along with you?”

Jake takes a second to answer, and his eyes almost narrow in confusion.

He finally shrugs.

“‘Cause you’ve got something most of the others don’t have.”

Jake looks at me, and takes a deep breath as though he’s about to say something deep and philosophical.

“Common sense.”

“That’s…that’s it?”

Jake laughs.

“A little bit of that goes a long way. You’ve got a smart head on your shoulders. Plus, everyone looked to you back at the hotel for ideas on what to do, and you handled it alright. Not to mention you were able to get everyone to focus on searching the hotel and going over what everyone found. Even Dax and Bottomless.”

“ _Bottomless_?”

“ _Raj_ , Boy Scout.”

“Speaking of which, are you _ever_ gonna call me by my actual name?” I hope I don’t sound too irritated.

“When you’ve earned it.”

“Do you even remember what my name is?”

“Larry? Chuck? Leslie? It’s Leslie, ain’t it?”

“ _Cain,_ ” my voice sounds more annoyed.

“I know that,” Jake laughs. “Cain Summers. Saw it on your boarding pass.”

We find ourselves at the foot of the cliff, so I don’t need to think of a comeback.

“So,” Jake speaks. “How’s your rock-climbing?”

“Um…existent?”

“Good enough for me,” he crouches down and cups his hands together. “Come on.”

He boosts me onto a pretty low edge, and pretty soon, we’re both scaling the cliff. We make use of handholds and cracks to pull ourselves up.

Jake’s caught up next to me and is quickly getting ahead. He can probably hear me gasping for breath.

“Just a little more,” he calls out.

I’m too focused on keeping my grip on a chunk of rock sticking out to answer. A ledge is getting closer, and I’m about to grab on when-

_-Oh shit!_

The rock snaps off the cliff.

Crying out, I instinctively grab onto the ledge. By some miracle, I’m able to pull myself up.

I dust myself off, and I look up to see Jake looking impressed.

“Nice moves, Boy Scout.”

“Thanks,” I say between gulps of air.

I catch my breath, and I take a second to admire the view. I gaze out into the green beneath the cliffs. The noon sun sets a nice light onto the island.

“I gotta hand it to this place,” I smile. “It never stops taking my breath away.”

“Probably the radiation,” Jake says, and we share a laugh. “Seriously though, it’s a hell of a sight.”

I remember the lights we saw from the control tower. I’m about to bring it up, but Jake speaks before I can.

“What’s this?”

Jake’s kneeling down, touching a steel sign embedded into the cliff floor.

On a square sheet of metal, is a carved symbol that roughly resembles a wolf.

“What is that?”

“I don’t know…there’s no writing or anything besides that weird symbol. Some kind of wolf?”

“It looks like it,” I answer. “You think it’s part of the resort?”

“Maybe…but what the hell does it mean?”

“There are… _wolves_ nearby?”

“Who knows,” Jake mutters.

I take my camera out and take a picture of the symbol.

Turning back to the view, I suddenly see, peeking shyly from the trees, the top of a gray building.

“Hey Jake, look over there!” I point to the building by the river. “Is that…?”

“The shelter!” Jake grins. “Hot damn. Good eyes, Boy Scout.”

“Thanks,” I blush slightly. “Couldn’t have gotten here without you.”

We stare at each other a bit, silent, before Jake gruffly clears his throat.

“We, uh…we should probably head back. Find the others and tell them where to go.”

“Right,” I agree as we head back towards the edge.

“Gotta say,” Jake turns around and shoots me a grin. “This was actually kinda fun. Maybe before I fly back, we can go on another climb together.”

I grin back.

“I’d like that.”


	10. The Shelter

“So…anyone else getting some _28 Days Later_ vibes off this place?”

We’re all regrouped and at the shelter. The outer walls look worn down, and the metal railings on the roof are rusted. Some plant vines coiled around up the walls and around the railings.

All in all, the place looks _real_ creepy.

“How old even _is_ this place?” Quinn asks.

“No older than the resort,” Lila answers. “But it’s supposed to have regular maintenance…I’ll have to have a stern word with the caretakers!”

“The point of shelter is keeping you safe _inside_ ,” Jake says. “Not looking pretty _outside_. Come on.”

Lila leads us to the front doors, pushing them open.

Revealed is a long hallway, shrouded in darkness.

“So,” Diego says grimly. “Who wants to head down the dark tunnel of doom first?”

“Not to worry!” Lila says, flipping on a switch near the wall. Lights above us illuminate the hall, revealing a mess of green vines snaking across the floor.

“Alright, the well-lit tunnel of doom.”

We move further down, and we come to a large room, lit up by the dim lamps hanging from the roof.

“It’s empty…” I gasp.

“On second thought,” Jake’s face falls. “Maybe Pop Culture Petey was right. This place gives me the creeps.”

“I finally get a nickname and it’s ‘Pop Culture Petey’?!” Diego cries out.

“Anyone else want to go back to the pretty jungle with magic flowers?” Quinn asks. “Anyone?”

Jake kneels to the ground, and I look at what he’s leaning in close towards.

A trail of several muddy shoeprints.

“Look here. There’s a lot of prints, and they seem recent.”

“So the guests _were_ here,” I say.

“Well… _someone_ was.”

If not the guests, then who else could it have been?

And where could they have gone?

“Lila,” I turn to the tour guide. “Are there any _other_ emergency shelters on the island?”

“No…none,” she answers dejectedly. “This location was used because if the volcano _did_ erupt, then the cliff would shield it from falling debris.”

“So then they might be lost in the jungle?” Quinn asks nervously.

Lila gives a painfully forced smile.

“I’m sure that they evacuated the island! That would be the most reasonable thing to do!”

Suddenly, a skittering noise comes from my left.

“Whoa, did anyone else hear that?”

I whirl in the sound’s direction, and see a mass of vines, leaves, and more glowing flowers collected in a hole in the wall.

Diego points to the hole.

“I think it came from in there…”

“There’s something in there,” I say, stepping closer to the hole.

“What do you see?” Diego keeps his distance from the wall.

I see something shifting in the darkness, and sounds like small feet scampering on the ground follow.

“There’s some kind of animal in there…” my heart races and my eyes don’t leave the hole.

“Certainly just a rat,” comes Aleister’s hesitant voice.

A clicking noise comes from inside the hole, followed by a scraping sound, like claws against stone…

“That’s no rat…” Jake says.

“Um, Cain?” Diego asks. “You think it might be…what you saw last night?”

“I…”

A shape immediately rushes out, into the light…

…and I see it.

It’s…I want to say a _fox_ …

…but I’ve never exactly seen a _blue_ fox before.

Violet eyes gaze curiously at us. The creature’s fur is a shade of icy blue, with its ears, tail, muzzle, and paws tipped with white fur. Black spots are splotched over its body.

“Holy…”

“The _fuck_?”

“ _What on earth_?!”

“Oh. My. _God_.”

“It’s…it’s…”

“ _Literally_ the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!”

“Okay,” Jake breathes. “Can we all officially agree that is _not_ a real animal?”

The fox whimpers, and immediately scurries off to a corner where he backs himself and trembles.

“Huh,” Jake gaped at the fox, apparently ignoring the frost. “He looks scared.”

“What could he be afraid of-” I begin before I hear the growling behind me.

I turn around, and I don’t believe what I see.

Like a bulky, muscular leopard, the beast is spotted all over its skin. It’s standing a good distance away from us, poised and ready for the pounce.

I could almost say that what I’m seeing is a tiger with spots instead of stripes.

If not for the two long teeth sticking out of its maw.

“ _That!_ ” Aleister shrieks. “Afraid of that!”

The fox abandons the corner, hiding behind my right leg instead. He lets out a scared whimper.

“Jake! What do we do?!”

I turn to the pilot, and for the first time I’ve seen him, he looks afraid.

He grabs my hand.

“ _Don’t_. _Move_.”

The tiger moves closer towards us, prompting us to back away and keep our distance.

“This is bad,” I say shakily. “ _Real_ bad.”

“Nice kitty,” Jake doesn’t sound any better. “Nice kitty…”

“This cannot be happening!” Aleister cries. “It makes no logical sense!”

“Wanna tell _it_ that?” Diego points to the tiger.

I almost yelp as I feel the fox climb on top of my back. I feel his furry form shaking as he continues to whimper.

The tiger’s eyes focus on me, and they alight…almost as if…

…it _remembers_ me.

“This is what I saw…” I say. “Last night…”

“Well could you tell it we taste terrible?” Jake tries to joke. “Tell it I’m unhealthy. I’m full of booze and regret!”

Quinn is next to me, shaking as much as she was on the plane during the storm.

“Oh god…oh god…!”

The tiger begins to move closer to Quinn, baring the sharp teeth behind its massive fangs.

“Quinn! Get behind me!”

Instinctively, I slip my hand from Jake’s, and step in front of Quinn.

A paw swipes across, and I cry out as claws dig across my side.

“Cain!” Quinn shouts. I fall back into her arms.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” I insist, trying to convince _myself_ more than her. “Not that deep.”

I look down, and I can see blood darkening my shirt, and it feels like ice water is filling my torso.

Circling around us, the tiger makes me feel like a mouse caught in a cat’s paw.

“It’s blocking the exit!” Lila cries. “We have to get around it!”

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Jake says through gritted teeth. “No way we’re getting past this thing.”

“Look!” Diego points to the far side of the shelter. “There’s another door over there!”

I see a huge blast door leading somewhere dimly lit.

“I say we make a run for it,” Aleister speaks up. “Seal ourselves inside.”

“You really think we can outrun this thing?!” Jake asks incredulously.

“I _really think_ we don’t have a choice!”

Another growl brings our attention to the tiger, looming in closer.

I back up, and bump into something hard.

Turning around, I see a fire extinguisher hanging from the wall…

…we’re at the wall.

Cornered.

“Guys!” Quinn shouts. “It’s now or never!”

I rip the fire extinguisher off the wall, and immediately spray it at the tiger.

It lets out an angry roar, pawing at its face.

“It’s blinded!” I yell. “ _Go!_ ”

We sprint towards the door. The fox leaps from my shoulders and runs ahead of us.

“Quick thinking!” Jake calls to me as we’re running.

I hear a roar behind us. I don’t dare look back.

“Hurry! We’re almost there!”

Finally, we’re past the blast doors, and we start to shut them…

…until we see that Lila’s yet to catch up.

“Lila!” I cry out. “Come on!”

She’s racing towards us, and the tiger begins to give chase.

Lila slips through the doors just as they’re about to close.

A slam sounds from behind the doors, but they don’t even budge.

“Thanks, Cain,” Lila says between deep breaths. “If you hadn’t blinded that thing, it would’ve gotten me.”

“Yeah,” Jake grins. “Way to not get us all shish-kebab’d on those teeth.”

Jake moves to hug me, but he stops himself.

He ruffles my hair awkwardly.

“Good, uh…good goin’.”

“Um…thanks…?”

I chuckle, but immediately wince, remembering my wound as I feel sharp pain.

“Dammit…” I whimper as I slide to the wall and sit down, clutching my side.

What the hell was I _thinking?_ This isn’t a movie. I’m not protected by plot armor or anything.

If I was an inch closer, those claws would have killed me.

The fox comes up, nudges me, and rests its head on my lap, whimpering slightly.

Quinn kneels down next to me.

“Cain, you’re hurt. Here,” she tears off a piece of her shirt and uses it to bandage me.

I remember that if I _hadn’t_ done what I did, then Quinn would be in my position. That actually gives me some peace of mind.

“That won’t do for long,” Jake says. “You’ll need some actual bandages. We gotta find a way back to the hotel, and _fast_.”

“Thank you, Cain,” Quinn smiles gently at me. “For protecting me back there.”

“Of course, I-”

“But,” she grabs my hand and looks directly in my eyes. “ _Please_ don’t risk yourself for me again…I’m…” The distant, almost _hollow_ look on her face startles me. “I’m not worth it.”

_…what…?_

Why would she possibly-

“Someone wanna tell me what the hell that thing was?!” Jake all but screams out.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Aleister snaps. “That was a _Smilodon Fatalis_.”

“A what in the who now?”

Aleister rubs his forehead and sighs deeply.

“A sabretooth tiger.”

“Oh yeah, _totally_ obvious!” Jake throws his hands in the air. “I must’ve forgotten my spear and loincloth back in my cave, because _apparently_ it’s 10,000 B-fucking-C!”

“Sabretooths have been extinct forever,” Quinn points out. “So was that one…what, cloned?”

Diego looks disturbed.

“I’m sorry, did this vacation just turn into _Jurassic Park_? Because I _do not_ want to run into a raptor! Of all the dinosaurs to run into, they’re the worst!”

“Of course not,” Aleister says. “Rourke International is in dozens of different industries, but cloning is not one of them. Furthermore, sabretooths would make this _Pleistocene_ Park, not Jurassic-”

“Jesus, Malfoy, who _cares_ about any of that?!”

“It matters to know what we’re up against, Jake,” I say. “If we don’t think this through, then we’re as good as cat food.”

“Exactly,” Aleister nods at me. “Knowing the facts can make the difference between life and death!”

“I saw that son-of-a-bitch’s teeth,” Jake points at me. “And what it did to Cain. Those are all the facts I need. Good news is, I should have enough fuel to make it back to the mainland.”

“Mainland? What are you talking about?”

“As in where I’ll be pretty soon instead of here at piloscene park.”

“ _Pleistocene._ ”

“Whatever,” Jake says. “Point is, I’m outta here. Come with me, or stick around. I don’t care. I’m not waiting around to become that tiger’s dinner,” he glares at the fox. “Or _yours_!”

The fox perks up from my lap, giving a surprised trill.

“Yeah, that’s right bud! You can’t play cute with me. God knows what you are, and frankly, I don’t wanna find out.”

“Jake,” Lila steps in front of Jake with her hands up calmingly. “Let’s not overreact. We’ll be perfectly safe as soon as we get back to the Celestial,” she turns to us. “You guys don’t want to miss out on your vacation, do you?”

Diego scratches the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Well, no…”

“I’m positive that everything will be back to normal as soon as-”

“As soon as everyone magically reappears?” Jake snaps. “As soon as your staff can round of the _prehistoric predators_ chasing the guests? I don’t know what kinda freak show you’re running here, Dimples, but it ain’t safe.”

“And flying with you _is_?” Aleister demands. “You nearly crashed in that storm on the way in! What if that happens again?”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“What about your money?” I ask. “You haven’t been paid yet.”

Jake laughs bitterly.

“Boy Scout, I’ve gambled enough to know when it’s time to cut and run. And this is it.”

He’s got a point.

All the excitement I had over the vacation seems irrelevant now.

Who knows what happened to the guests, assuming they’re even alive…

“I guess you’re right. This place is getting too crazy. We should get back home”

“Cain, please,” Lila insists. “I’m sure everything will be fine once we get back to the Celestial.”

“At least Cain’s got his head screwed on right,” Jake says. “What about the rest of you?”

Huh. He’s using my real name…

“You know,” Diego’s face falls. “I was so ready to have my life’s big adventure. But maybe I’m not cut out for one.”

“I know,” Quinn nods at Diego. “I had a vision of how this week would go,” she glances at me and my makeshift bandage. “And _this_ isn’t it.”

“Very well,” Aleister sighs. “Let us depart.”

“ _No_ ,” Lila says stubbornly. “Jake, I have a responsibility to my superiors-”

“Who?” Jake asks. “Everett goddamn Rourke?”

“Rourke isn’t here, Lila,” I say sympathetically. “ _He’s_ not the one sticking his neck out while all of _this_ is happening-“

As if on cue, we hear the sabretooth slam into the door again and let out another roar.

“This isn’t your job anymore. You didn’t sign up for this.”

Lila shifts, and then stares at the ground sullenly.

“Okay,” Lila mutters.

“Alright,” Jake says. “The plan’s to get out of here, grab the others from the resort, and skedaddle back to the airstrip.”

I glance at the blast doors, hearing another angry roar from behind them.

“There better be another exit. That sabretooth isn’t giving up.”

“There’s nowhere else to go,” Diego points up ahead into the hallway. “But forward.”

“Let’s go then,” I get up.

“Are you sure you’re good to walk, Cain?” Quinn asks.

I flash an assuring smile.

“Of course.”

We begin to walk. The fox follows us, earning a scowl from Jake.

“Is this thing gonna just follow us around now?”

“I think he likes Cain!” Quinn laughs.

As if confirming her claim, the fox nuzzles my leg, purring contently.

We’re met with an intersection of three corridors.

“So,” Quinn glances at each hall. “Which way do we go?”

“Let’s just pick one,” Diego says “The exit should be close, and this place can’t be _that_ big, right?”


	11. The Maze

“Okay,” Diego groans. “I think this place is just trolling us now.”

As it turns out, this place really _is_ that big.

With every intersection we come at, we have the options of several long identical corridors, each one ending with their own intersections.

We go in a random arrangement of lefts and rights, barely able to keep track of where we even began.

“These tunnels might run across the entire island,” Quinn frowns. “Who knows where we’ll come out?”

We come into another corridor. In the dim lighting, I can see a small carving of what looks like a lizard on the wall.

“Huh…” I gaze at the carving, running my hand along it. “What…what’s this supposed to be?”

“It looks like a chameleon or something,” Diego says.

“Might be something scratching in by a bored employee-” Lila leans against the wall, and it suddenly shudders.

“Whoa!” Diego exclaims. “That section of the wall got pushed a little!”

“It looks like the outline of a door!” Aleister says in equal shock. “There could be a passage there!”

Jake walks up to the hidden door, and begins pushing with all his might.

“Shit,” Jake mutters. “No use. Gotta be some other way to open it.”

“Hey look here,” I point to a nearby pipe on the wall, with a wheel valve protruding from it. “This might open the door, but it’s chained tight.”

“The chain looks pretty sturdy,” Jake observes. He then hands me the fire extinguisher. “Here, I brought this along. Maybe it’ll help.”

I take it, and I’m about to smash the chains, until a small memory hits me.

A little fact from my chemistry final.

The chains are sturdy, and if the gas is cold enough…

Worth a shot.

I spray the chain with the gas from the extinguisher.

“Uh, Cain?” Diego asks. “ _What_ are you doing?”

“Showing initiative!” Aleister answers for me. “CO2 fire extinguishers release gas at drastic sub-zero temperatures.”

“Right,” I nod at him and stop the extinguisher. “So if the chains get cold enough,” I smash the red metal cylinder onto the chain, and it shatters almost as easily as glass.

This has to be the very first time I’ve ever seen Aleister smile.

Or at least smirk.

“I must admit, I’m quite impressed. I expected you to be more dimwitted.”

I blink, but give a smile back.

“Thanks for the compliment.”

Assuming that even _is_ one.

I turn the wheel valve, and hear gears turning within the hall.

The door slides open like a theater curtain, revealing an office.

It’s small, about the size of the on-campus apartment Diego and I share. Computer monitors and files crowd every inch, making the room seem even smaller.

“Huh,” Diego marvels. “An underground maze sure is some place to work nine-to-five hours.”

Lila points to a large computer screen on the office’s only desk.

“That computer might have a way out for us.”

We walk towards it, and I press the power button on the monitor’s side. The screen comes to life, and six boxes appear under ‘Enter password’.

“Damn,” I swore. “This thing needs a password.”

“Hey, look,” I turn to see Diego holding up a sticky note. “There’s some writing on here. ‘Ram Scorpion Bull Lion’. What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Maybe it’s a hint,” Quinn suggests.

“Hmm,” I scratch my chin. “The password is six letters…what do rams, scorpions, bulls, and lions have in common…?”

They’re all animals. All mammals except for a scorpion…

…two are carnivores and two are herbivores…

…maybe it’s not literal animals…maybe…

A thought comes to me…

“Let me try something.”

I type in ‘zodiac’.

The computer chimes and a grin almost splits my face.

“Nice!” Diego pats my shoulder. “They’re all zodiac signs!”

“Aries, Scorpio, Taurus, Leo!” Quinn grins at me. “Didn’t realize you were so clever, Cain.”

“Psh,” I grin cockily. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

The screen flickers on, showing several separate screens of footage. For each screen, the lower right hand corner show the date and time.

“This is feed from security cameras,” I say.

“And does _that_ ,” Diego points to one of the screens. “Look familiar to anyone else?”

I see none other than Raj lying on a massage chair, a content smile on his face.

“Oh my…” I gasp. “That’s the lobby at the Celestial!”

“I, uh…” Lila stammers. “I guess this is for completely benign, security reasons?”

“Oh yeah?” Jake comes forward and points at another screen. “Then why do they have cameras in _half the suites?_ ”

True enough, there’s the view of several rooms.

“Okay, that’s just messed up,” Quinn shudders.

“Agreed,” Diego says, disturbed. “I get that some people like being watched, but _I’m_ not one of them.”

“Well maybe this is good,” Jake points to a microphone on the desk. “ _This_ means that we can probably call over to the resort somehow.”

“And tell them to meet us at the airstrip!” Quinn finishes.

Jake claps me on the back.

“See if you can figure a way to reach them, Cain. We’ll look through the files. There’s bound to be a map or something.”

Nodding, I slip on a set of headphones hooked up to the computer.

I go through the feeds for a few minutes, looking for some way to contact the Celestial.

Suddenly, I see Sean on screen, with Michelle draping her arms around his neck.

“We can’t,” Sean protests, looking uneasy.

“Says who?” Michelle purrs.

“What is this about, Michelle? You wanted to talk, so _talk_.”

Whoa…

Okay, _what_ is happening there?

“Who said we had to talk with our clothes on?”

Michelle presses Sean down onto the bed, straddling him.

 _Holy fucking_ …

Okay, I should probably tune out…

“Sean, just think about how different this vacation could be. Instead of fighting, we could go back to the way things were a month ago. I though you could maybe even propose to me here.”

Wait, _what_? They were _that_ serious before breaking up?

I don’t catch some of what Michelle says after, but there’s no way I could miss Sean’s yelling.

“Because you cheated on me!”

Sean lifts Michelle off of him and stands back up.

“Sean, that’s not-”

“What, ‘not true’?” he demands. “That’s what you’re gonna go with? You’re gonna deny it to my face? These are your best friends, Michelle. You’re gonna tell me they were lying about you?”

Michelle is silent.

Even in the blurry, grainy feed, I can see her eyes watering.

“That’s what I thought,” Sean mutters.

Michelle scoffs.

“That’s not even what this is about, is it? You were just looking for an excuse to dump me, weren’t you? Just waiting for an easy out!”

“Hold on! That’s not-”

“Not true? That’s what you’re gonna go with? You’re gonna deny it to my face?”

Sean’s the one who’s silent this time.

“That’s what I thought.”

Michelle goes out the door.

Wow…so, that’s how they broke up…

Oh my god…it hits me like a brick, what I just did.

How the _hell_ could I just eavesdrop on an obviously private moment?!

God…I feel like the freaks that set these cameras up in the first place.

I glance around, and everyone seems too occupied with the files to look at the computer.

Shaking my head with disgust for myself, I fiddle around a bit more with the keyboard, and I see Zahra in the restaurant, eating a tub of ice cream straight from the scoop.

“Oh momma,” she lets out a moan. “ _This_ is the good shit.”

On the camera feed, I can hear whistling.

“No no no!” Zahra snarls. “You’ve gotta be-”

Craig strolls merrily into the restaurant, stepping as soon as he sees Zahra.

They both look at each other evenly for a while, until Craig speaks.

“Guess you found the ice cream stash too.”

Dammit. I’m being a voyeur again.

I prepare to change the screen, but my gaze flickers back to the feed and for some reason my hand is slow when I try to remove the headset.

“I know your brain might be stuck in the fifth grade,” before I know it, I’m back to their conversation. “But are you seriously trying to pull ‘Finders Keepers’ on me?”

Something…something is telling me to…

_Ah!_

Shit, head-static again!

Aaaaand another headache. Thank you very much.

I’m rubbing my temples, so focused on the pounding in my head that whatever Zahra and Craig say next just doesn’t reach my brain.

The headache eventually fades, and thankfully so does the static.

I look back to the screen, and Zahra is walking out the door.

“Oh, and Craig? If you tell a soul about, you know, _freshman year_ , I’ll hack your phone and send your family those photos you saved there. Including the ones wearing whipped cream and nothing else?”

Okay, _that’s_ my cue to tune out.

I immediately change the feed, and I bury my face in my hands.

Dammit, get it together. I’m not here to invade other people’s privacy.

That’s CIA shit.

Back to flipping through the feeds, I stop myself when I reach the ballroom.

Estela is in there, checking under the tables, the corners of the walls, _everywhere._

I hear her muttering “where is it?” under her breath.

Again, I find myself not changing the screen. And not because of any static.

There are just too many questions about Estela. Not to mention the question about the mysterious eleventh passenger.

But…from our interaction last night, I honestly don’t think that Estela is a bad person.

Sure, I have a ton of questions about her, but like she said, we’ve all got secrets. I have no right to just invite myself to learn them.

My head is telling me to be suspicious, and my gut is telling me to trust people.

But…considering the situation…can I really afford to trust _anyone_ right now?

I sigh.

This is wrong.

This is _so_ damn wrong.

Watching the feed attentively, I see Estela walking up to a painting on a wall. The framed canvas shows what looks like a sailboat under a night sky.

A pocket knife materializes in her hand, and I see Estela stab into the canvas and slash it open.

She reaches through the hole she made, and pulls out something from behind the painting. I can’t see what it is, but it seems small enough for her hand to close around.

Estela sticks it into her pocket, and all of a sudden a voice comes up that makes her tense up and me almost jump.

“Estela? Estela, are you in the ballroom?”

Grace can be heard from the hall, and on another screen, I see her coming towards the door of the ballroom.

Estela hides behind one of the large doors as soon as Grace enters the ballroom.

“Estela, I was gonna make some food…huh? I could’ve sworn I saw her come this way…?”

Grace looks around once before leaving the ballroom. The painting, or what’s left of it, is on the same wall as the door, so she obviously missed it. Estela waits for a moment and apparently decides the coast is clear.

Shooting down the hallway, she disappears from the camera’s sight.

What the…?

What did Estela just take from the painting? And why didn’t she want to be seen?

Okay, forget it. I’ve done enough spying for one day.

I continue searching the computer, and finally, I get to a menu with the option to activate microphone.

“Guys, I found it!”

I immediately connect to the hotel lobby, and unplug the microphone so the others can hear.

“Wonderful, Cain!” Lila praises. “We can talk to them now, try it!”

I go back to the screen showing the lobby. Raj is still on the massage chair, and Craig is following Zahra, continuously asking her if she’s kidding about something.

Zahra’s just ignoring him and keeps walking.

“Thaaaaaat feeeeeels gooooood,” Raj says, sitting contently on the massage chair.

I get an idea.

Grinning mischievously, I pick up the mic.

“ _Raaaaaaaaj_ ,” I try to sound like a ghost. “ _Thiiiis is the ghooooost of semesters paaaaast_!”

Raj snaps up, and falls out of the still-working massage chair.

“What the-? Oh man, not this trip _again_!”

Zahra and Craig stop in their tracks, and immediately burst out laughing.

“Yo, Cain! That you on the speakers? That was hilarious!”

“God, I just _love_ humor at the expense of others!”

Raj stands back up.

“Wait, that’s Cain on the speakers? Okay, I’ll admit it. That _was_ pretty good.”

“Thanks,” I laugh. “But seriously guys, we’ve got a problem.”

I explain as quickly as I can what happened at the shelter. About the lack of hotel guests or staff, and the sabretooth tiger.

“This is another prank, right?” Zahra asks, shocked. “Because this one is a _little_ less funny, Cain.”

Jake takes the mic from my hand.

“It’s all true. We’re heading straight for the airstrip.”

“You’re leaving?!” Craig hollers. “What the hell, man?! This is our vacation! We just got here! Naw, forget that!”

I take back the mic and do my best to sound reasonable and sympathetic.

Even though I’m screaming internally.

“Craig, I need you to trust me. _Please_. Get the others, and meet us at the airstrip.”

“‘Trust you’?! I don’t even _know_ you! You don’t know me either! Why are you trying to ruin everything?!”

Before I can reply, Craig storms off from the screen.

I resist the urge to grind my teeth.

“Don’t worry,” Raj says softly. “I’ll talk to him. We’ll see you there.”

“Keep an eye out too,” Jake leans closer to the mic. “That sabretooth is still out there. We’ll meet you at the plane as soon as we find a way out of here.”

“Yeah, about that,” Diego begins as I set the mic down.

“We’ve found absolutely nothing so far,” Aleister finishes. “It will take _hours_ to examine the rest of these files.”

“And with a maze like this?” I frown. “We wouldn’t be able to find our way back to the shelter and leave where we came in. There has to be something…

“Cain, look!”

Quinn points to the fox leaping onto the desk.

“What is-”

I pause as he jumps onto my head next, and then on a high shelf.

“The hell’s he doing?” Jake asks.

“Maybe there’s food up there?” Lila suggests.

I watch, dumbfounded, as the fox grabs the edge of a binder with his teeth and pulls.

The binder comes open as it hits the floor, and my own gasp is drowned out by the others’.

“Those are the tunnels!” Diego exclaims.

“The cute little thing found it!” Quinn coos as she pets the fox’s head. She then points to an ‘x’ on the schematic. “We must be here, and there’s an exit right along this path!”

“Uh…” Jake glances at the fox. “Does this mean this furball understands English?”

He kneels down in front of the fox.

“All that stuff I said before? I didn’t mean any of it, okay?”

The fox purrs happily, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s _smiling_.

“Let’s go guys,” I laugh. “We’ve got a plane to catch.”

We leave the office and make a series of lefts and rights according to the schematics, and come to another set of blast doors.

“We found the exit!” Quinn cheers. “Let’s get these open!”

Jake and I drag the doors open.

“Sweet freedom, here we…ah nuts.”

We stare at, and hopefully nothing’s staring at us back, total darkness.

Seriously, there aren’t even shapes visible. It’s as though a jet black curtain lies where the light from the corridor we’re in runs out.

“This,” Aleister grits his teeth. “Is absolutely absurd!”

His last word echoes through the darkness.

Not spooky at all.

“Jake, use your flashlight,” Quinn says.

He reaches for his belt and scowls.

“Damn. Lost it. Must’ve fallen off when we ran from the tiger. Doesn’t matter. We’ve gotta push forward anyway.”

“Pass!” Diego holds his hands up. “ _Hard_ pass. We have no idea what could be in there, or if there even _is_ a way out. My _abuelita_ had an old saying. ‘Where there be sabretooth tigers, there be brain eating spiders.’”

“We don’t have a choice,” Jake retorts. “We sent the others to the airstrip, and if we’re not there to meet them, they’re sitting ducks. We _have_ to push forward.”

Jake takes a step forward, and I take a small one back.

“I don’t know. This is bringing up all kinds of red flags.”

“Do you trust me?”

I feel my gut answer _yes_ , and the mantra _I owe him_ repeat in my head again.

“Uh…kinda? I guess?”

“Good enough for me,” Jake grins. “Let’s link up. Grab each other’s hands so we don’t lose each other in the dark.”

I take Jake’s hand with one of my own, and Quinn’s with my other. Diego joins with Quinn and Aleister, and Aleister with Lila.

We all step forward into the darkness together.


	12. The Crystal

The darkness is palpable, almost suffocating.

Jake leads the group, and my ears are on overdrive, searching for any sound that doesn’t come from us or the fox.

“Still with us, Boy Scout?” Jake asks.

“I’m holding up,” I assure. “Don’t worry.”

“Who said I was worried?”

I can hear the smile in his voice.

“ _I’m_ the one who’s worried!” Diego cries out. “This is the part of the movie where the audience yells ‘what are you doing? Turn back! How are you guys so stupid?’”

“We’ll be fine, Petey. Keep moving forward. The schematic said this is the only way out.”

I look back to Diego instinctively, but I’m reminded of how dark it is in here. The light from the corridor we came in from is long gone.

“Just keep holding each other’s hands,” Jake says. “I think we’re getting close-”

Suddenly, Jake _shrieks._

“Jake! Are you alright?” I cry out.

“What happened?!” Aleister demands. “Is the pilot dead?!”

“What? No!” Jake shouts. “The stupid fox thing ran over my foot. I was a little spooked, okay?”

We’re quiet and still for a second.

“I’m gonna preemptively tell you all to _shut up,_ ” he growls.

The sound of paws scampering on the dirt below comes, and I hear the fox go ahead of us, yipping.

“Where’s he going?” Lila asks.

“He’s leaving us to die,” Diego groans. “Can’t say I blame him.”

The fox keeps yipping, and it doesn’t sound like it’s going any further.

“No that’s not it!” I say. “I think it wants us to follow him. Maybe he can see in the dark.”

Following the fox now, Jake leads us around a tight corner, and to an alcove glowing with a strange aqua colored light.

“Uh,” Diego’s voice comes up. “Am I seeing things now, or is there something glowing in front of us?”

We walk up to the glow, and we see that it’s coming from a smooth, round surface coming out of the wall of the cave.

“It looks like some sort of crystal, or gemstone,” Quinn observes, running her hands on it.

“Certainly not natural,” Aleister follows Quinn in examining the crystal. “It’s smoothly polished.”

“Why did the fox lead us here?” Lila asks. “To use the crystal as a light source? I don’t think it’s bright enough.”

“Better than total darkness,” I mutter. “Let’s see if we can get it out of the wall.”

I pull on the crystal, and it pops out of its socket on the wall with surprising ease.

Carved into the sphere is… _what the hell?_

“Guys, look! It’s got a pair of handprints engraved in it.”

“I dunno about you,” Lila gapes at the orb. “But my hands don’t exactly look like that.”

She’s right.

The hand is bigger than my own, and has four long, pointed fingers that look more like _claws…_

“Those prints gotta be there for a reason,” Jake says. “Cain, put your hands in there.”

“I dunno man. I’ve seen _Indiana Jones_. If a boulder comes rolling through here when you touch that, I am 110% _out._ ”

“I can’t, anyway,” I turn the orb to glance quickly at both handprints. The claws that I guess are thumbs aren’t pointed towards each other. “These are meant for two _right_ hands. It’s for two people.”

“I think two of us should try it and see what it does,” Quinn suggests.

“Oh man,” Diego says through forced excitement. “Is someone getting Freaky Fridayed? Please tell me they are. We could use some good comedy material instead of all this thriller crap.”

“I’ll do it,” Quinn offers, stepping up.

“Alright,” I accept, doing my best to fit my hand into the print. Quinn touches the orb and-

-a blinding light flashes.

“Whoa!”

“I can’t see a thing!”

I squeeze my eyes shut, and open them slowly, letting them adjust.

“ _Huh?!_ ”

The darkness is gone, and the caves are now decorated with candles and torches everywhere. Beside us is a mine cart on tracks that run through the tunnel.

“Hey guys! Touching the orb must’ve turned on the lights somehow… _guys_?”

Quinn and I look around.

Diego, Jake, Lila, and Aleister are _gone._

I call out their names, and get no answer.

“Where did everyone go?!”

“That’s so weird,” Quinn mutters. “Maybe they freaked out when the lights came on? If they ran ahead, we should follow them.”

“Good idea. With these torches lit, we can find a way out no sweat.”

We march forward, carrying the crystal with us. Its glow is practically nonexistent among the other lights.

Quinn peers into a mine cart we pass.

“Wow! Cain, look at this!”

I look into the cart, and I almost drop the orb.

“Is that _gold_? Quinn, I think we’re in a gold mine!”

“If that’s the case, then where are all the workers? This doesn’t look abandoned. And there’s still plenty of gold here. Look!”

Her hand grazes the walls, and lo and behold, there are thick veins of gold in the rock.

“It’s amazing!” Quinn marvels. “It’s almost as if the earth itself is alive…alive and crying.”

“You don’t like gold much?” I ask.

“I was always more of a diamonds girl,” she grins.

“Really? You don’t wear much jewelry.”

“No, I like diamonds because they remind me how an eternity of pressure can result in something beautiful and tough.”

Huh.

When I think about how hopeful that sounds, with just a little hint of sadness, I find that description accurately describes Quinn herself.

With how much she tries to enjoy life, I still get the feeling that there’s something else behind that cheery exterior.

Quinn glances at a nearby mining cart that looks just about empty.

“Oh, I have an idea. You might think I’m a little crazy, but…why walk when we can take a little ride?”

“Uh…I’m not so sure about…” before I can finish, she hops into the cart and beckons me to join her.

Is she giving me those puppy-dog eyes on purpose…?

Because they’re _effective_.

“Alright, fine,” I relent, giving a carefree smile. “Let’s do it!”

I climb into the cart next to her.

“Ready?” she asks.

I nod.

Quinn disengages the brake lever, and off we go.

“Woohoo!” she sits up a little higher as the cart picks up speed and the candles and torches blur by, looking like shooting stars.

Feeling a bit bolder from her infectious joy, I sit up higher with her, and a grin breaks across my face.

“This was I good idea, Quinn!”

“Maybe not so much! Look out!”

She points to a wooden barricade that’s coming up _fast_.

“Get down!” I cry out.

I move to shield Quinn with my body, and I cover my head with my arms as the cart shatters through the barricade and abruptly halts.

Falling on top of Quinn, I’m just barely able to keep a hold on the crystal orb.

“Quinn are you alright-”

Opening my eyes, I see Quinn’s face just inches away from mine.

“Oh, hello there” she grins.

We stand there for a minute, and I’m pretty sure all the blood in my body just went to my face.

An awkward laugh escapes from both of us.

“I guess we should keep going,” she blushes slightly.

“Heh…yeah.”

I help Quinn out of the crashed cart. We take a look around, and I see a pathway, with a pale white light at the end.

“Quinn, look!” I point down the tunnel. “Doesn’t that look like-”

“Daylight! You found a way out, Cain!”

Quinn takes my hand, jogging merrily around a bend in the tunnel, and right into-

We both scream.

A human skull sits on a pike planted in the dirt. I recoil, almost falling over, and I can catch bits of decaying flesh on the white bone.

I’m hit with the stench of _rotting_ , and I drop the crystal.

The minute the orb leaves my hands, all the torches and candles vanish, leaving us back in total darkness.

“Cain! Where are you?!” Quinn shouts next to me. “What happened?!”

“I’m right here, Quinn,” I feel her arm reach my arm, and she immediately grabs my hand.

“How did it get so dark?!”

“I don’t know…I just dropped the crystal, and everything just went dark.”

“Where did it go?”

I glance at the floor, and scanning the pitch black background around me to look for the mild glow, and…

…nothing.

“I can’t find it!”

“The skull’s gone too!”

The smell of rot is gone, true to her word.

None of this makes sense.

What is that damn crystal, and where did it go?!

And _how_ did it make the whole place light up?

And _what the fuck is the deal with a skull on a pike in here?!_

Just like the first day at the Celestial.

No answers and more questions.

“Cain,” Quinn’s voice quivers. “What _is_ this place?”

I can’t think of _anything_ to say.

“Cain! Quinn!”

A voice echoes through the darkness.

“It’s Jake!” Quinn says.

“We’re over here!” I call out.

I hear the fox’s scampering as it comes up to us, and everyone else follows.

“There you are!” Jake growls. “You can’t just run off like that!”

“Run off?” I try not to sound irritated as I am. “Where did _you_ guys go? We were just following the torches down this path.”

“Torches?” Aleister demands. “What in heavens are you talking about?”

“Guys, let’s not fight,” Quinn speaks up. “Something weird just happened and we don’t know what. But what matters is we found a way out.”

“Quinn’s right,” I say. “We saw daylight this way. Follow us.”

We link hands again, with Quinn and me leading the group down the path we saw. We keep going, but all we see is more darkness.

No daylight.

“It…” I say, confused. “It was right _here_.”

“I’m not exactly the outdoorsy type,” Diego speaks. “But I remember ‘day’ being a little…you know, brighter.”

“I’m feeling my way along the wall,” Lila says, stepping before us. “And it seems like this part of the tunnel collapsed.”

“How?” I ask. “We just saw daylight coming from this way!”

“Let’s just keep looking,” Quinn suggests. “We _have_ to be close.”

We travel further in the darkness, and all of a sudden, I hear splashing beneath me.

“Are we…” I shuffle my foot and hear more splashes. “Standing in _water?_ ”

“Shit,” Jake curses. “Cave’s flooded. Dead end.”

“Please don’t say _dead_ end!” Diego pleads.

“Maybe not,” Quinn says. “See that?”

I look ahead, and further up, I see some faint light, making the line of the water’s surface more visible.

“It looks like daylight,” Lila gasps. “Coming up through the water.”

“There must be an underwater tunnel outside!” I exclaim. “Guys, we have to swim our way through.”

“ _Swim?_ ” Aleister scoffs. “You may leave me here, thank you very much. Let my family know I hated them.”

“Come here, Malfoy,” Jake snaps. “I’ll drag you out myself.”

“ _Unhand me! Let go of me you imbecile!_ ”

“Hold your breath.”

“Wha-”

Aleister’s protests vanish with a splash.

I’m about to follow them, when I feel something floating in the water bump against my leg.

I pick it up, and it…

…feels like nothing I can put a name too.

“Hey, I found something floating here.”

“It’s too dark to see it,” Diego comments. “Hang on to it. Might be important.”

“Right,” I say, keeping a firm grip on the object. “Let’s go.”

Diego and I dive into the water.

We swim, and the refracted sunlight is able to give a vague shape to the cavern.

I swim harder, making sure I hold on to whatever I found.

Pressing forward, I can see the outline of Diego’s swimming form in the darkness.

My lungs are burning, but finally, the daylight coming through the water shows that I’m out of the tunnel.

I make a beeline for the surface, and gasp for air.

Swimming back towards the beach, I see the others drying off.

Jake shakes the water out of his hair, and…the _fox?_ He followed us here to through the tunnel?

And apparently copying Jake and shaking the water from his fur.

“Copycat…er, fox. Whatever.”

“Cain!” Diego runs up to me. “What’d you find?”

Remembering what’s still in my hand, I look at the object, and I gasp.

“A _gas mask?_ ”

“Old, too. That looks like it’s from around the First World War.”

“What would that be doing in a cavern?” Lila asks. “And how long has it been there?”

“No idea…” I say, and I take a look around. Aleister’s glaring daggers and Jake, and Quinn-

“Where’s Quinn?” My blood runs cold.

“She didn’t come up?” Lila asks, alarmed. “She was right behind me!”

I look back to the water, and scan for any sign of Quinn…

… _nothing._

“I don’t see her!”

“Oh god…” Diego goes pale. “If she got trapped or lost down there…”

I throw the gas mask on the sand, and my legs move on their own. I sprint into the ocean and I dive into the water.

Plunging beneath the surface, I swim deeper in as I try to ignore the sting of seawater against my eyes.

The swirling current roars around me, and my heart is beating so fast I can hear it. My lungs beg for oxygen and I curse my stupidity.

What the _hell_ am I doing? I’m not some kind of action hero…

But I swim deeper.

I need air. God I need air.

Dammit, keep swimming!

I finally see Quinn.

Her still form- _nonononono_ -is framed against the sunlight.

Tearing through the water, I pull her slack body in my arms.

Quinn’s eyes meet mine, and for a second, I see her bright, infectious smile right before her eyes close and a bubble escapes her lips.

I try to shoot straight up to the surface, kicking through the water, but she doesn’t budge.

Looking down, I see long vines of green seaweed coiling around her ankles, stretching from below.

I reach down to pull them off, and they actually _tighten_ around Quinn’s leg.

Gasping, I send an air bubble out and reminding me of my burning lungs.

Quinn still in my arms, I feel her get pulled farther down.

No! Dammit! It’s not gonna end like this!

I lean into the vines, and bite into the green as hard as I can.

They rip apart, and soon Quinn’s free from the seaweed. She slumps into my arms, and I kick as fast as I can to the surface.

I don’t look back, but I swear through the water, I hear something _scream._

We break the surface, and I pull Quinn onto the shore while gasping for air. Everyone rushes to the tide.

“Cain, she’s not breathing!” Diego cries.

I lay her down on the sand, and try to remember everything I learned about CPR.

I count the compressions…29…30.

Pinching her nose, I tilt her head back and push two slow breaths into her mouth. I repeat the compressions, counting off to thirty…come on, Quinn…

“It’s not working, Cain!” Aleister shouts. “You are failing at-”

“Shut it!” Jake snarls.

I put my lips to Quinn’s, giving her two more breaths…

…and I hear her coughing as she chokes up water. I pull back, and I see her eyes fluttering open.

“Quinn!” Lila breathes a sigh of relief. “Oh thank god!”

Quinn blinks, and her eyes focus on me.

“Cain…” Her hand reaches up and grazes my cheek. “You saved me…but, but I said I’m not worth-”

“No, that’s wrong!”

I stop her before she can repeat what she said at the shelter.

“No matter what you might think,” I looked her straight in the eye. “You’re worth it to _me_.”

Quinn looks at me for a few seconds, silent with an expression I can’t quite read.

“Thank you.”

“What happened down there, Quinn?” Diego asks.

“Something,” Quinn sits up and rubs her ankle. “I felt _something_ take me.”

“It was these _vines,_ ” I say, shuddering a bit. “Like kelp or seaweed, but stronger. They wrapped around her ankles and _pulled_ her down.”

Everyone was silent for a minute, until Quinn shakily gets up.

“Quinn,” I lightly put my hands on her shoulders to steady her. “Maybe you should rest.”

“I’m okay,” she gives me a warm smile. “We have to keep going. The others are meeting us at the airstrip, remember? We can’t leave them waiting with that sabretooth on the loose.”

Quinn marches forward to the edge of the rainforest.

“Well, you heard the lady,” Jake follows her. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came a little later than scheduled, due to a final exam I had to study for, so apologies for that.
> 
> Also, there's a quote from Danganronpa I used here. If you're a part of the fandom, you'll probably recognize it quickly. It's pretty iconic.


	13. Sean's Interlude

“Damn man,” Craig groans as we walk down the hall to our apartment. “Exams are gonna suck _majorly._ ”

“They’ll be done before you know it,” I smile encouragingly. “You know, the offer to help you study’s always up.”

“Thanks, but naw. I’m starting to wrap my head ‘round it.”

I take his word for it. Craig’s pretty persistent when it comes to studying.

Exam week is just four days away, meaning we both gotta wake up earlier than usual so we can fit our workout regimen with preparing for exams.

“Any word on the raffle?” Craig asks.

“No, not yet,” I reply. “I’m pretty sure they’re waiting until finals are all done to call out the winners.”

Although I hate complaining, finals week would be a lot easier without the results of a raffle, hosted by the school and Rourke International, to think about.

First, they enter every student at Hartfeld into the raffle by default, and then they have us worked up and worrying about something like this when we’ve already got exams?

If the university’s trying to see how well we’re able to focus on our studies, they’re kinda overdoing it.

Speaking of worrying, it’s at least nice to see Craig excited about something than fretting over getting drafted.

As much as I want to see my best friend happy, I’m not sure I should tell him that I put in a good word for him with the guys from NFL. I mean, I _definitely_ don’t want Craig to torture himself worrying, but I don’t want him to think that the only way he’d succeed is because he knows the quarterback either.

When we enter the apartment, we part ways to go to our own rooms to study. I find myself musing about what it would be like if we actually _win_ the raffle.

I guess it would be nice. A week of an all-expenses paid trip to an island resort sounds like something that only happens on crazy sitcoms.

I mentioned the raffle last time I spoke with Momma, and she was all for it. She told me that after everything I did for her, Jason, and the team, I deserved at the very _least_ a week-long break.

It’s not like I don’t _want_ (and probably need) some R &R.

I feel like it would sound funny if I said it out loud, but…

…there’s just something about _not_ having anything to worry about that makes me feel uneasy.

From taking care of Momma and Jason, to leading the team, I’ve always had to be responsible, looking out for at least _someone._

And the prospect of having a whole week of absolutely no worries? It’s like unfamiliar territory.

But what are the odds of actually _winning_ the raffle, anyway?

I run a hand through my hair, still wet from the gym’s showers.

Come on, I’m here to study.

I sit down at my desk, opening up my notebook to where I left off my study session last night.

About two hours later, as I’m practicing calculus problems, I can hear Craig whooping in the other room. Knowing from experience, that means he got through a round of flash cards.

I smile fondly, but then an unwelcome thought crosses my mind.

A secret I’ll take to my grave is that there are a few traitorous moments when I feel like Craig is more so friends with the quarterback than the real person…

No, to hell with that.

Craig’s the best friend I’ve ever had, and that’s all there is to it.

_Oh really? You used to think so highly of Michelle, and look how that turned out._

Shut up.

_And what about that friend of yours back in high school, who smiled at your face while trying to sabotage you and take the spot of QB for himself?_

Be quiet.

_And I know I don’t even have to mention dear old daddy-_

I slam my fist on the desk.

Rubbing my temples, I rest my head in my hands and take deep breaths.

God, I _hate_ being angry.

All I can think about when I’m mad is the anger behind my dad’s eyes and fists…

…and I _refuse_ to have anything in common with him.

“Yo, Sean?” I hear Craig’s voice as he knocks on my door. “Everything okay? I heard a bang in there.”

“Yeah, good!” I reply, forcing myself to sound even and calm. “Sorry man, I just dropped a textbook!”

I can’t ever let myself slip up.

Not for a second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another late update. Apologies, but I have a great excuse, I swear! The reason for my late update is that I rewrote this interlude a few times because I was unsure of how I'm writing Sean's POV.
> 
> The interludes are meant for the characters to do a period of self-reflection. What I'm trying to do here is capture how Sean's constantly repressed fears and doubts build up and fester in him. Plus, Sean is an abuse survivor. That leaves scars like depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD.
> 
> Also, when Sean mentions 'Jason', that's the name I decided to give his little brother. And the addition where I mentioned Sean had a friend in high school who double crossed him to become quarterback, I wanted to give something more to add to Sean's trust issues and belief that he could only rely on himself.
> 
> Regarding Craig studying, I have the headcanon that even though he doesn't get the best grades, he at least puts his all into studying.


	14. The Plane

We move deeper into the jungle, pushing through the dense foliage.

I rub the pain in my side, looking at the dried blood that cakes the white cloth wrapped around my lower torso and part of my shirt.

I catch Diego looking at me, concerned.

“It’s getting worse,” he says, paling a bit.

“Hey, relax,” I flash him a smile. “I’ll make it to the airstrip.”

Diego scowls at me disbelievingly and turns to Jake.

“Are there any medical supplies at the airstrip?”

Jake looks at me and at my makeshift bandage, mirroring Diego’s scowl.

“Guys, I’m fine-”

“You’re not,” Aleister snaps. “That wound hasn’t been properly treated, and the salt water certainly couldn’t have helped.”

“What, you’re a doctor now, Malfoy?” Jake snarks. I see him glance at Quinn, and I can catch her looking sad. “And there’s a first aid kit at the airstrip. It’ll do the trick until we hit the mainland.”

“If there are bandages, then I can help apply them!” Lila chimes in. “All of the tour guides are required to know first aid. Not that this sort of thing is _usual_ , of course! We’re just prepared for anything!”

“Even everyone on the island going all _Vanishing on 7 th Street_?” Diego asks.

“Hey,” I fall next to Quinn. “ _Really_ , I’m okay. It just stings a bit, but I’ll be fine.”

Quinn looks just as skeptical as Diego and Jake did.

I’m guessing she’s seeing right through me.

“What about the hotel?” Quinn asks Jake. “The resort has to have a doctor’s office or something.”

“If we go there, we would risk running into that beast again,” Aleister replies. “Our best and safest chance is the airstrip.”

“Right, now keep it down,” Jake lowers his voice. “That thing could be anywhere.”

I sigh.

I’m about to push through a mass of ferns when I see them stir…

…and all of a sudden, a pair of eyes appears right before me.

I don’t have time to think.

Giving a small yelp, I swing my fist right at them, colliding with…

“OWWWW!”

“ _Craig?!_ ”

The bulky football player stumbles back, and everyone else steps up from behind the vegetation.

A peal of laughter can be hear as Michelle doubles over, giving a few claps.

“That was amazing! Again! Again!”

“Bro!” Craig fumes, rubbing his jaw. “What the hell?! You _punched_ me!”

“I’m _so_ sorry,” I put my hands up calmingly. “I thought you were the sabretooth.”

“I mean, _damn_ , it was a hell of a punch dude. Ow, but also, wow. Mad props but also mad.”

“Uh…thanks?”

“At least you two didn’t start screaming,” Estela walks up to us. “And attract every predator in the rainforest.”

“The airstrip’s just up ahead,” Zahra points to her left. “What are we all waiting for? To be cat food?”

At that happy thought, we all make our way along the trail.

I do a head count. Craig and Sean are side by side. Zahra, Grace, Michelle, and Raj are behind them.

Turning to my right, I see Estela beside me. Like everyone else, she has her luggage with her, a medium-sized messenger bag slung over her shoulder.

I remember that my stuff is still in my room. Diego, Quinn, and Aleister don’t have their bags either.

But I guess losing our luggage is the least of our worries.

Why can’t this be the kind of trip where the _worst_ that can happen is missing luggage?

Estela glances at me, and I realize I’m still staring at her.

“It’s good we’re all here,” I say quickly. “I was worried we wouldn’t be able to convince everyone to leave the island-”

“I’m not leaving.”

“Wait, _what_? Why?”

Estela keeps looking forward.

“Unfinished business.”

I study her for a few more minutes.

Okay, so the threat of a sabretooth tiger _isn’t_ enough to get her to want to leave?

There was also what she said last night too…

_The people in my life usually end up getting hurt. And I don’t mean their feelings._

Just what did you come here for, Estela?

And is it worth getting hurt, or even _killed_ over?

“Look, Estela,” I say. “I don’t know what’s going on, but whatever it is, I want to help.”

Estela looks sharply at me, narrowing her eyes like she’s analyzing me…

…and then her face falls.

“You mean that, don’t you?”

“Yeah…of course.”

I guess it really is true. And it’s not just guilt for spying on her with the security camera. I sympathize with her. I can recognize people who distance themselves from others when they don’t really _want_ to.

And there’s another reason…it’s…just something I can’t put my finger on.

Just something hidden behind more mental static

“Man, you’re stupid,” Estela sighs. “Trust me, you _don’t_ want to get involved. Once you’re in, there’s no way out.”

That should make alarm bells go off in my mind.

But oddly enough, instead of pushing me away, it draws me further in.

“So for your own good,” she continues. “Go back to your nice college bubble. Live your dreams, and be happy. It’s what you’re meant for.”

“I think I’ll decide what I’m meant for,” I reply, trying not to sound too defensive.

Estela sighs again.

“If only that were true.”

If there’s one thing that baffles me more than this crazy island, it’s the people on it with me.

Jake and his lone-wolf attitude, Quinn feeling like her life isn’t worth saving, Craig insisting on staying on the island despite the danger…

And whatever it is that Estela’s wrapped up in.

_‘People are complicated,’_ I can remember something my sister told me once. _‘They do things that don’t make a lot of sense to others because of reasons only_ they _can understand.’_

Estela frowns and points to my bandage.

“What happened to you?”

“The, uh, sabretooth got me,” I say. “I’m fine though, I swear!”

“ _That_ much blood doesn’t mean anything ‘fine’.”

“It just grazed me with its claws,” I assure. “Besides, there’s supposed to be a first aid kit at the airstrip.”

“Then let’s keep moving. And lower your voice. There’s a sabretooth after us, remember?”

“You’re not surprised at all about an extinct predator hunting us down?”

“Nothing surprises me anymore.”

“Not even me?” I flash a mock-suave grin.

Estela rolls her eyes, but I catch a smile she fails to repress.

I decide I like her smile, and I get the feeling that it was something she used to do often once.

We walk further ahead, and I see Jake shoving away ferns to reveal the airstrip.

“Looks like we made it safe and sound. Now let’s get the…oh no…oh _shit!_ ”

I move to get a better look, and I see, at the far side of the airstrip, black smoke billowing out of the windows of the closed hangar.

“ _My plane!_ ”

“Come on!” I shout. “We have to put out that fire!”

We rush over to the hangar doors, and already I can feel the heat from inside.

“Sean!” Jake calls out. “Help me get these doors open!”

The two of them tug at the hangar’s massive doors, and the rest of us join in.

The doors slowly part, letting loose a wall of black smoke.

I wave the smoke away from my face, slight tears coming to my eyes as the smoke hits them and fills my nostrils.

I’m able to see past the smoke long enough to see Jake’s plane burning.

“Jake, your plane…it’s…”

“It’s gone…”

“There goes our ride,” Zahra monotones.

Just inside the hangar, a waft of smoke clears slightly to see something gleaming.

“Hey, do you see that?” I point to where I see the metal object. “What the hell is that?”

I move forward to get a better look.

“Cain, be careful!” Sean calls out to me. “You can’t breathe in there!”

“I think,” I cough as smoke hits my face. “I can reach it!”

Holding my breath, I move forward to where I saw the object, and I recognize it instantly.

It’s a padlock.

Suddenly, the hangar is glowing brighter, and everything happens so fast.

I turn to see a trail of flame, racing towards the plane on a…

…oh _fuck._

A gasoline line.

“Cain!” I hear Estela’s voice.

Barely a second later, someone then tackles me to the ground and out of the hangar.

Then the entire world lights up, and I hear a deafening boom.

I can feel the earth _shake_. Someone is over me, shielding me from the explosion. I hear everyone screaming, and bits of the hangar and Jake’s plane hit the ground.

After the boom, my ears give a fading ring. Whoever tackled me lifts up slightly.

I’m looking into Estela’s eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“You could have gotten yourself killed!” I blurt out. “Why did you save me?”

Estela’s jaw drops slightly, her eyes widening as if the question surprises her.

“I…I honestly don’t know.”

We look at each other for a few more seconds…

Estela gets up abruptly.

“How…” I hear Jake behind me. “How could this happen? I don’t understand…”

I get up, remembering the padlock is still in my hand.

“I did find this.”

I show the padlock to him.

“What the hell?! The lock to the hangar doors?”

“Yeah. You locked up the hangar door before you left, remember? And this padlock isn’t broken.”

“What are you saying?” Estela asks.

“It…it looks like someone _unlocked_ the hangar.”

“But who?” Jake runs a hand through his hair. “There’s no one on this damn island except…”

He freezes for a moment. Then his jaw clenches and his eyes turn to steel.

“Except _us_ ,” Jake growls, turning to the group.

Everyone is now eyeing each other suspiciously.

“Well don’t look at me!” Michelle folds her arms. “I didn’t do anything! It was probably Aleister! He looks creepy!”

“Hey!” Grace objects. “Back off Michelle! He didn’t do this!”

“Whoa, guys!” Sean steps in and holds his hands up. “We are _not_ doing this right now! We can discuss all this back at the resort! All that matters now is that we’re all in one piece.”

“Yeah, uh,” Diego’s voice comes up. “That might not be for long.”

I turn and see him pointing back at the rainforest.

Pointing right at…

The sabretooth.

It growls, fangs gleaming in the sunlight and stalks slowly out of the ferns.

“ _Oh you gotta be kidding me!_ ” Craig hollers.

The tiger stalks closer to us, cornering us against the burning hangar.

I meet Quinn’s eyes. I catch the look of horror on her face, and I can tell we both know what the other is thinking.

No way out.

We can’t run, we can’t fight…

…oh god, is it all really gonna end like this?

It gets closer, poising itself to strike…

…and then something small and blue flashes before it.

The fox.

I thought he left us in the jungle, but apparently he decided to stick with us.

The fox growls at the tiger, and look like it’s ready to attack as well.

“ _Run_ , little guy!” Jake shouts. “This is a bit of a mismatch!”

The fox doesn’t move. It keeps yapping and growling, being the only barrier between us and the sabretooth.

The tiger draws itself to full height, and if these things can laugh, then the sabretooth was _definitely_ laughing at the fox.

Drawing back its paw, the sabretooth gets ready to slash at the fox.

“No!” Quinn cries out.

I don’t believe what happens next.

Out of the fox’s mouth, a blast of snow crystals and icy mist shoots at the tiger’s paw, freezing it in ice.

The sabretooth roars in surprise and pain.

“Did you just see that?!” Grace shouts.

“No fucking way…” Jake gasps.

The tiger leaps back, and the fox breathes another cold blast, freezing its hind foot to the ground. The sabretooth yelps and thrashes, looking like a scared alley cat as it breaks free from the ice and dashes into the jungle.

Turning to us, the fox sits down like a puppy, his tail wagging and muzzle slightly open like it’s _smiling_.

We all look around, from the broken plane in the burning hangar, to the ice-breathing fox, and to the spot the sabretooth tiger was standing.

The missing guests and staff…

…weird lights…

…crazy wildlife…

“Guys… _where the fuck are we?!_ ”


	15. The Division

Dammit…

I’m _not_ a runner.

“Come on, come on!”

“Don’t let up now! We’re almost there!”

I’m getting lightheaded. My legs are practically on fire, and my side feels a hundred times worse.

Finally, I sprint past the gate with Grace, Diego, and Aleister.

I almost collapse onto the ground as I stop, gulping in as much air as I possibly can, sweating but feeling strangely _cold_.

Turning my head back to the gate, I see Estela, Sean, and Jake pushing the metal gate closed.

For a moment, we all watch the rainforest, ready to jump and keep running if even a twig snaps…

…but everything’s silent.

“I think we’re clear,” Estela says.

“Good,” Raj pants. “That’s enough exercise for the rest of my life…”

Estela immediately slips through the fence’s bars.

“Where are you going?” Lila asks.

“I got you back to the resort alive. You’re welcome. But now I’ve got things to do.”

“Wait, Estela!” I step forward. She turns to me with expectant eyes.

I almost plead her not to go…but then again, whatever she’s setting out to do is important enough for her to risk her life for.

I don’t know what she’s doing, so what right do I have to object?

“Be careful, okay?” I say instead.

Estela nods at me.

“I will, Cain. Stay here. It’s safe at the resort.”

She turns, and vanishes into the forest.

“Okay, that girl gives me the creeps,” Raj says. “But at the same time, I really, really wanna be her friend. Is that weird?”

Craig shrugs.

“A little.”

Black spots suddenly take over my vision, and I drop to the ground.

“Cain!” Diego cries out and he’s at my side instantly.

“I’m fine, I’m fine…”

“You’re not fine,” Jake snaps as he and Sean run over to me. “Get him inside, now!”

I’m dimly aware of Sean scooping me up in his arms. Everyone around me is talking, but I’m too focused on the pain than anything else.

“Hang in there, Cain,” he says comfortingly, but I can tell he’s worried.

We move to the lobby, and Sean lays me down on one of the sofas.

I squeeze my eyes shut as my head suddenly starts pounding.

I open them up, and…

…I’m… _not in the lobby anymore?_

Around me is a beach that almost looks normal.

It’s night, but there aren’t any stars in the sky.

From some unseen light source above, the whole land seems to be shining in an ethereal glow…

“ _Cain…_ ”

A voice calling my name echoes through the land…

…somehow, I think I _know_ that voice…

“ _Cain…Cain…Cain…_ ”

…and I’m back at the lobby the moment I blink again.

“What the…” pain stabs into my head and I can’t finish my sentence.

“Take it easy, okay?” Diego’s by my side.

My headache leaves as quick as it comes, and I’m able to get a better look around. I see Diego, Sean, and Jake near the sofa I’m lying on. Everyone’s in the lobby, all looking in my direction intently.

Michelle comes running towards me, carrying a bottle, a rag, and a roll of bandages.

“Alright Cain,” Michelle’s eyes are focused as she wets the rag with what’s in the bottle. “I’m gonna treat you with saline. This is gonna hurt. A lot.”

Diego grabs my hand. I give it a soft, assuring squeeze.

After lifting my shirt to show my wound, Michelle begins to apply the saline and…

…ah _fuck!_

A strangled cry escapes me and I squeeze Diego’s hand tighter.

Michelle continues, and I grit my teeth to keep myself quiet.

“You’re doing great, Cain,” Sean nods at me.

“Yeah,” I speak a few octaves too high.

After a while, the stinging on my wound starts fading bit by bit. I sigh in relief when I see Michelle put the bottle of saline down. She starts wrapping the gauze around my torso.

“That about does it,” she finishes several rounds of bandages, tying it moderately tight. “You’re gonna need to get this changed daily.”

“Right,” I nod thankfully at her. “Thanks, Michelle.”

She rolls her eyes.

“Whatever,” she shoots me an annoyed frown. “Just don’t expect me to help you every time you do something stupid.”

“I won’t,” I chuckle.

I pull myself to a sitting position.

“You sure you’re alright, Cain?” Sean asks.

“I’m fine,” my smile probably comes out a bit weaker than intended. “I just need to focus.”

“Damn straight,” Sean nods approvingly. “The only way we get through this is if we keep our heads clear.”

“Suit yourselves,” Jake shrugs, walking over to the bar. “Forgive me if I choose a different track. Who could use a drink right about now?” He holds up a bottle.

“That would be me,” Diego walks over to the bar.

“Seconded,” Zahra joins them.

“Jake, _please_ ,” Grace protests.

“This isn’t the time for that,” Sean scolds.

“Pretty sure alcohol was _invented_ for times like this,” Jake grins as he pours the last glass. “Cheers,” he holds his glass up in a mock-toast.

“So…” Raj speaks up hesitantly. “Are we gonna talk about what just happened?”

“You mean the part where our plane decided to celebrate Fourth of July with some fireworks?” Diego asks, coughing slightly after taking a swig of rum. “Or when Fantastic Mr. Fox over here,” he points to the fox, scampering on the floor below. “Went full on Elsa on a sabretooth tiger?”

The fox looks up, giving a curious purr.

“Could we all just take a deep breath and calm down?” Lila says. “There’s no sense getting upset over a little freak accident!”

The sound of Jake slamming his glass on the bar table echoes through the lobby.

“It _wasn’t_ an accident,” Jake reaches into his pocket and holds up the padlock. “Or did you forget about the padlock? The one Cain risked his life to get? It was _unlocked_.”

Jake glares at Lila.

“ _Someone_ unlocked the hangar doors and tampered with _my_ goddamn plane. Any lightbulbs point off?”

“ _Me?!_ ” Lila asks incredulously.

“Who’s got a key to that hangar besides me, huh?”

“How would I know?! I’m just a tour guide!”

“Guys, guys!” Quinn steps in. “Hang on a second. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that someone _did_ intentionally destroy Jake’s plane. _Why_ would anyone do that?”

“To keep us here,” I say. “To get rid of our chance to leave the island. And as for _who_ …I think there might be someone else here on the island behind it.”

“Like who, exactly?” Zahra asks.

“I don’t know. But it’s a big island. Who knows who else might be here with us, watching us?”

“Yes,” Grace begins uneasily. “But…there’s no sign that that’s true. With what we know…isn’t it more likely that whoever destroyed the plane was…one of _us?_ ”

Everyone’s goes silent.

Grace definitely has a point…but we can’t really afford to make this into a _whodunit_ scenario.

“True,” I agree. “But we don’t have enough facts right now. We shouldn’t risk tearing our group apart by making accusations.”

“Good point,” Grace smiles. “I’m with you, Cain.”

“Yeah, that’s a good call,” Sean nods. “Distrusting each other is the last thing we need right now. What matters is that we lost our ride. We need to focus on finding another way off the island.”

“Whoa, whoa!” Craig steps up. “Hang on! I know y’all think of me as the quiet guy, but I’ve got something to say. You’re calling it an accident or sabotage, but I call it a goddamn miracle! You guys were about to bail on a legit paradise! But we just got a second chance to make the most of our luck!”

“Craig, this isn’t lucky,” Sean insists. “This is _insanely_ unlucky.”

“That’s because you’re choosing to see it like that. Dude, we’ve been playing together a long time. I’ve had your back since day one, since we were freshman roommates. On _and_ off the field. I know you’re the team captain and all, but right now, I need you to hear me out.”

“I _do_ hear you, man. But this is crazy. We can’t risk this. We have so much of our lives ahead of us. Senior season, the draft, and going pro together like we always talked about, remember?”

Craig’s eyes soften and he stares off at the side.

“Of course I do…”

“Exactly,” Sean continues, putting a hand on Craig’s shoulder. “And one day, when we’re rich and famous, you and me will buy this whole damn island and party here all summer long.”

Craig pulls away from Sean, shaking his head.

“Nah, man, those are _dreams_. You’re talking about the future, and all we ever really got is right now.”

“Guys,” I cut in. “The bottom line is that this island is _dangerous_. We can’t afford to stay here any longer.”

“But _how_ , that’s the question,” Michelle says. “How are we going to leave with Jake’s plane gone?”

“It can’t have been the only way out,” Sean replies. “There’s gotta be other vehicles _somewhere_. Like Cain said, it’s a big island.”

“Sean,” Grace says. “You really want to _leave_ the resort? Even Estela told us we should stay put. Shouldn’t we wait for someone to come get us?”

“I won’t lie, for now, we’re safer at the Celestial. But we don’t know how long that will last. And we don’t know if anyone’s coming either. We should assume we’re on our own and find our own way out.”

“But you wouldn’t even know where to start,” Jake finishes his glass. “Meanwhile, Tony the Tiger and god knows what else is out there, strolling through the jungle for its next entre.”

“But Jake,” I turn to him. “ _You’re_ the one who wanted to leave first.”

“Absolutely. When we _had_ a sure way out. You might’ve noticed things changed a little back there. We should sit tight and stick to the resort. At least we’re fenced in here.”

“So either we leave now and search the island for a way out, or stay put and hope someone comes for us.”

I’ll be honest, I think staying at the hotel is a much safer option…

…but what if we don’t find anything here that’ll help us?

“We should settle this with a vote,” I suggest. “Let everyone have an equal input.”

“Democracy is a deeply flawed system,” Aleister speaks up. “Subject to the whims of the mob, but…in this case, I suppose it’s fair.”

“Cain’s right, we should vote,” Michelle nods. “I’m _definitely_ having my say in this.”

“Alright, I’ll start,” Sean says. “I vote we leave now.”

“Me too,” Michelle agrees. “I just want out of this place.”

“Well,” Jake goes next. “I say we stay put and don’t get ourselves killed.”

“Seconded,” Lila decides. “Help will be here any moment now.”

“We’ve been here over a day now,” Quinn frowns. “I don’t think anyone’s coming back. I vote ‘leave now’.”

“Ditto,” Zahra agrees. “I never wanted to come on this stupid trip to begin with.”

“What about you, Malfoy?” Jake asks.

Aleister sighs.

“As much as I detest taking your side, _Jacob_ , I also cast my vote for ‘stay put’.”

“Me too,” Grace agrees. “I don’t really want to be wandering in the rainforest right now.”

“Same here,” Raj says. “Plus, this place has a spa.”

“Craig?” Sean asks, looking hopefully at his friend.

Craig looks back at him with something between anguish and anger.

“Stay here.”

Sean’s face goes grim.

“Okay, so the vote is four for ‘leave now’,” Quinn points out. “And six for ‘stay put’. Seven makes a majority, so…” she turns to me. “It’s your turn, Cain.”

If there _is_ another way off the island, we don’t know where we’d begin to look for one.

And we shouldn’t risk our lives over a wild goose chase.

“I vote we stay here,” I answer.

“Ah,” Sean looks a bit disappointed.

“That makes a majority,” Jake nods at me. “I knew you’d be smart about this, Cain.”

“‘Stay’ wins! Suck it!” Craig whoops.

“Hey, wait a sec!” I turn to my best friend. “Diego hasn’t voted yet!”

“Cain, it’s okay,” he looks crestfallen.

“It’s not! You should-”

“Cain, _really_ , it’s fine. It doesn’t exactly matter now.”

“So,” Jake speaks up. “We’re done here? That hammock out back is calling my name.”

“Well, hold on,” Sean holds his hands up. “We’re staying put, but that doesn’t mean we should just sit around and hope that help shows up. We don’t even know if anyone back home knows what happened. And we’re not expected back for a week, remember?”

“Sean is correct,” Aleister nods. “We must search the resort for a way to contact the mainland and request help. Without cell service or internet, that’s our only option.”

“Hey, go ahead!” Jake grins. “More power to ya. I ain’t stopping you.”

Sean narrows his eyes at the shorter man.

“We’re all in this _together_ , Jake.”

“You know, sometimes you sound like my old sergeant…always hated the guy.”

Jake winks at Sean before he leaves, taking the bottle of rum with him.

Sean looks at Craig pleadingly, and Craig goes stoic before he follows Jake.

“Sean?” I go up to him. “You okay?”

I feel stupid asking that. He looks like he got punched in the gut.

“Yeah…yeah, I’m fine,” he says quickly. “The rest of us should get searching. The sooner we call for help, the quicker we get ourselves outta here.”

I know someone brushing their emotions under the rug better than anyone.

But I let him keep his lie.

“Right, there’s got to be something here to-” I move to get up, but Sean sits me back down.

“Hey, whoa! I didn’t mean you! You need your rest.”

“I’m fine now,” I insist.

Sean raises an eyebrow.

“After losing enough blood to make you fall to the ground?”

“Cain, Sean’s right,” Diego says firmly. “You _collapsed_ , for crying out loud.”

“Yeah, after running a marathon. I just needed a moment to rest, and I _got_ that,” they don’t look convinced. “Look, how about I eat something to get a few blood cells back. I _promise_ to take it easy and not go sprinting any time soon.”

Sean and Diego study me for a while longer.

“Fine,” Diego sighs. “But if you look even the slightest bit winded, I’m dragging you back to your room kicking and screaming. I’ll go get you some food, you stay put.”

“Sir yes sir,” I salute him, and Diego grins before leaving.

“It’s good you’ve got a friend like that,” Sean nods at me. “Someone who looks out for you.”

“Yeah, he’s a great friend. Better one than I deserve…” I mutter the last part unintentionally.

Sean looks confused, and is about to ask me something before Quinn walks up.

“Cain, I know you want to help out, but they’re right, you should really keep resting. Better safe than sorry.”

I see it in her eyes, sadness and guilt. I remember that look from earlier, when Aleister said that the salt water made my wound worse. She must be feeling guilty for the sabretooth clawing at me.

“Hey, this isn’t much,” I assure her. “Most of it’s because of running all the way to the hotel. Remember yesterday? It was a hard enough _walking_ up here. All I need is some time to catch my breath, and I’m back to my charming old self,” I flash her a grin.

Quinn snickers, but sobers up quickly.

“Just promise me you’ll go straight to your room and rest if you start feeling tired again, okay?”

“Quinn, I-”

“ _Cain_ ,” she sounds so much sterner, it’s a frightening change.

“Yeah of course!” I say a little quickly. “I promise!”

“Good,” she smiles brightly before skipping off.

I should be careful not to make her mad.

“You really did put yourself in between Quinn and the sabretooth?”

I turn to Sean.

“She told me while we carried you in here,” he explains.

I guess considering the situation, I wasn’t paying much attention to my surroundings.

In his eyes, there’s a kind of respect…

“It, uh…” I stammer. “Was kind of a spur of the moment thing…”

“A gut reaction.”

That’s a statement, not a question.

“Lunch is served!” Diego returns with a few small plastic wrapped sandwiches and water bottles, and all but shoves them in my mouth.

Sean reluctantly goes off, leaving me in Diego’s care. I eat the amount of sandwiches he deems enough.

Eventually, by some miracle, I’m able to get him to let me go to my room alone to change out of my bloodied shirt.

The minute I close the door to my room, I start freaking out.

Waves of emotion and exhaustion crash over me, and I double over on my bed.

“ _Dammit!_ ” I beat my fists against the mattress. “ _What the fuck is going on?!_ ”

I close my eyes, and remember seeing the shadowed sabretooth last night at the party…

…the vines dragging Quinn down into the sea…

…the plane’s gas tank catching fire and exploding…

…and now we’re here, on an island with no clear way off and no one to help us.

The reality finally hits me.

God…this is really happening…

I grab a pillow, bury my face in, and, like water erupting from a broken dam, I _scream_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, regarding MC's choice whether to side with Sean and saying the future matters more, or with Craig and saying the present's all we got, I skipped it. I mean, srsly guys, back to the matter at hand.
> 
> If you've played "Danganronpa 2", then the ending scene with Cain freaking out should look a little familiar. After all, one of the character inspirations for my MC is Hinata Hajime.


	16. The Discovery

After changing into clean clothes and splashing some water over my face, I’m in front of the mirror in my room. I spend some time schooling a smile on my face, one that will hide the fact that I just had a breakdown.

Soon enough, I’m bring myself to the image of Cain Summers I projected throughout high school. The mask I’ve always hid behind. Cool, smart, confident Cain Summers.

Not the Cain who’s inwardly freaking out.

I take a few deep breaths, trying to be at least half as calm as I look.

I won’t get off this island if I keep sitting in my room and screaming, so I need to get my head together.

So, I bury my fears into the deepest part of my mind, and force myself to maintain my smile as I leave the room and walk down the hall. 

* * *

A half hour later, I regroup with the others, and I’m searching rooms with Diego, Aleister, and Grace.

Following Diego is the blue fox, which alternates between nuzzling each of our legs.

“A picturesque Carribean island,” Diego says sullenly. “With absolutely no internet. I can’t tell if we’re in heaven or hell.”

“Maybe purgatory,” I offer jokingly.

“Okay, if that’s what’s going on, I’m gonna be _so_ pissed.”

The fox lets out a sound which I think is a sneeze, shooting out a flurry of snow on the carpeted ground of the suite.

“What is that _thing_ anyway?” Aleister glares distrustfully at the fox.

“Whatever he is,” Grace looks adoringly at the animal. “He’s not going anywhere. Maybe we should give him a name!”

“How about ‘Iceman’?” Diego grins.

“‘Aaron Brrr’!” Grace laughs.

“You’re _all_ wrong,” Aleister scoffs. “His name should obviously be ‘Kelvin’.”

“Like absolute zero! Good idea, Aleister!”

“I…um…thank you.”

“How about we go with ‘Furball’?” I turn to the fox. “Furball. How’s that sound, little guy?”

The fox purrs and jumps up happily.

“I think he loves it!” Grace grins.

I hear laughter from outside the window. I go over to the balcony overlooking the pool, and see Jake, Quinn, Michelle, and Craig together, taking sips from a bottle of rum by the hot tub.

Raj runs over to them, holding a bundle of pool noodles excitedly.

“Now _they’re_ living,” Diego says wistfully.

“It does seem nice out there,” I agree.

Honestly, I’d probably join them, if immediate death wasn’t a strong possibility by staying on the island.

“Hey guys,” Sean walks into the suite, followed by Zahra and Lila.

“Hey, any luck?” I ask.

“No, but we found an elevator that goes up to the very top floor.”

“It’s Everett Rourke’s office,” Lila adds. “The owner of the resort. We’re not exactly allowed in there, but…”

“‘But’,” Zahra continues for Lila. “If anyone has some kinda high-tech satellite phone, it’d be the cartoonishly rich dude.”

“Alright then,” I say. “Let’s go.”

“Awesome,” Sean grins.

“Then let’s get going,” Lila points into the hall. “It’s this way.”

We follow Lila and Sean to the elevator.

I turn to Diego beside me, and catch him slowing down, hesitant.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him.

“Huh?” Diego’s face falls. “Nothing, nothing…actually…it looks _really_ fun out there.”

“Diego, this is serious,” I say softly. “We shouldn’t be goofing off instead of trying to find a way out of here.”

“Cain, I’m sorry,” he really does look sorry, and I can’t find myself to feel mad or frustrated. “After today, I just need a break. I’m sorry…”

He turns and heads the other way, and I notice he’s looking down while leaving my sight.

“Forget it, Cain,” I hear Sean behind me. “We’ve got work to do.”

I follow them, but I keep turning, hoping that maybe Diego’s going to pop up and tell me I’ve been punk’d.

I sigh.

Furball trots next to me, purring contently.

“Least you’re staying with me,” I mutter.

“This is it,” Lila stops us when we reach to silver lined doors at the end of the hall. “The elevator up to Mr. Rourke’s office.”

She presses the call button, and the doors instantly slide open.

When we’re all in, Lila presses the button labeled ‘Rourke’, the only other one labeled ‘Lobby’.

Nothing happens.

“Look,” Aleister points to a card slot under the buttons. “We need a keycard to get up there.”

“No you don’t,” Zahra pushes Aleister aside. “You’ve got _me_.”

She immediately pries open the button panel, exposing circuits and wires underneath.

We all gaze dumbly, stunned as Zahra begins fiddling with the electronics in the elevator wall. No one says anything, the only sound being the clicks and sparks of Zahra’s tinkering.

“And done!” she smirks, and a hum of electricity sounds as the elevator buttons light up. “Thank you all for shutting the hell up while I work. You wouldn’t believe how much some people love the sounds of their own voice.”

“Wow, nice work, Zahra,” I grin. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“What you don’t know about me can fill a book, so keep your pants on.”

“I’m mildly impressed,” Aleister nods. “I wasn’t aware of your skillset, Zahra. You should rewire the automatic doors next, as to prevent any intruders from entering without our knowing.”

“Solid idea, Aleister,” Sean smiles. “Could you get on that-”

Zahra holds up her hand sharply.

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” she walks out of the elevator and down the hall.

“Where are you going?” Lila asks.

“Switching teams. _No one_ tells me what to do.”

“Zahra!” I call out. “I’m sure they didn’t mean it like…and she’s gone.”

“Probably better not to push our luck,” Sean shrugs glumly.

He punches the elevator button, and the doors seal shut before going up.

When the doors glide open, we’re met with a large room with windows on all sides, giving a view of the sea and the island. Marble pillars support the ceiling. The floor is so polished that I can see my reflection in it. When we walk out of the elevator, I can hear our footsteps echoing.

“Okay,” Sean marvels. “That’s a hell of a view.”

The view isn’t what strikes me.

“This place is so _barren_ ,” I say. “Only one desk, and there isn’t even a pen and paper on it.”

The only thing here that belongs in an office is the desk, made of glass with one chair pushed in.

“Cain’s right,” Grace frowns. “This is a dead end.”

I step to one of the windows at the office’s edge. Furball stays close behind me and bonks his nose against the glass.

Looking down twenty-five stories, I see the others playing on the beach.

And Jake and Zahra riding the waves on freaking _jet skis._

“Seriously?” Sean glares at the sight. “Where the hell did they find those?” He turns to me. “Listen, Cain, thanks for coming along.”

“Of course, Sean-”

“I’m serious. I know how easy it is to want to take a day off, to let someone else pick up the slack for once. But sometimes you have a responsibility to other people to do your share, to put your own time in. So, I mean it. Thanks.”

I appreciate the sentiment, but…where did all _that_ come from?

“You got it, Sean…” is all I say.

Suddenly, I see Lila…

…slipping something into her back pocket.

“Did you find something, Lila?” I walk up to her.

“Oh, me? No, nothing.”

I study her a bit longer…

…she doesn’t say anything.

“Then what was that you just hid from us?” I ask, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“What’s happening?” Sean asks.

“Lila just pocketed something without telling anyone,” I answer. “Something potentially important.”

“That’s ridiculous! I didn’t find anything!”

“And you’re lying about it, too,” I cross my arms and scowl.

“Cain,” Grace says hesitantly. “Maybe she’s telling the truth-”

“I _saw_ her put something in her pocket,” I insist. I turn to Sean. “Do you trust me?”

Sean thinks for a moment…

…and then he nods.

“Let’s see what’s in your pockets, Lila.”

“There’s nothing!” she swears.

But Sean reaches out his hand, looking at her expectantly.

I admit, I feel a bit bad about having everyone gang up on Lila.

But this isn’t like when Grace found the tooth.

Grace didn’t _lie_ , instead just saying she didn’t want to say anything.

Lila, though, _is_ outright lying.

And right now, if there’s even a chance that what she found could lead to a way off the island, then I’m willing to stretch my moral bounds a bit.

Groaning, Lila pulls something small and silver out of her pocket, handing it to me.

“ _A cufflink?_ ” I ask.

That’s it?

 _That’s_ what was so important?

“It’s just one of Mr. Rourke’s cufflinks,” Lila sighs. “He must’ve dropped it.”

“There’s an engraving in the face,” Sean says as he leans in closer. “Three ‘S’s?”

“Maybe they’re snakes,” I suggest offhandedly, still a little peeved.

But then I get another rush of dream-static.

It comes and goes quickly, but it came the minute I said ‘snakes’.

Weird…

“I just wanted to return it to Mr. Rourke,” Lila assures, bringing me back to reality. “I thought he’d be happy to get it back. Maybe even happy enough to give me a promotion. That’s all.”

She reaches out to take it back, but I pocket the cufflink before she can.

“I’ll make sure you’re the one to give it back when we find him.”

Lila grunts and stomps her foot, pouting like a child that was denied ice cream.

I spot Aleister kicking one of the bronze pillars.

“This is absurd,” he says when I walk up to him. “It’s like the man is taunting us. How is there nothing here?!”

I decide to challenge him to get him to stop whining and start searching. He’s prideful, so that should do the trick.

“Well,” I smirk as I study my nails. “I guess you’re not clever enough to solve this.”

“Is that so?” He crosses his arms and smirks confidently. “It seems you vastly underestimate me.”

“I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”

“We most certainly shall! Now…if I were an overrated and highly fortunate business simpleton encased in an ivory tower, where would I keep my phone-”

Aleister rests his hands on the glass surface of Rourke’s desk, and instantly, a holographic computer display appears.

An actual _holographic display_ , like something from _Marvel_ or _Star Wars_ movies.

“What the fresh fu-”

“The glass is a display!” Grace lights up as she and everyone else hurries over. “The _desk itself_ is the computer!”

“How did you turn that on?” Lila gapes.

“I haven’t the faintest idea!” Aleister exclaims.

“Good work, Aleister!” Sean grins. “See any way to call for help? I’d honestly settle for an email right now”

“I wouldn’t call for celebration just yet,” Aleister points to the screen, and it has a set of twelve boxes. “It appears to require a password.”

The hope in Sean’s eyes dies down a little.

“Let me try something,” I say impulsively, stepping forward,

“You think you know what it is?” Sean asks.

“Maybe…” I shrug.

Immediately, I sit down at the desk, and my fingers start moving on their own, typing…

…the dream static appears out of nowhere, and all my senses go into a brief, but _strong_ haze.

A headache hits me like a bus, and weird images flash through my mind, ones I forget as soon as they come, and…

… _why_ am I thinking of a _talking crab_ , of all things?!

I clutch my forehead, rubbing my temples lightly

“Cain?” Sean taps my shoulder lightly.

“You just spaced out there for a second,” Grace looks at me concerned.

“I don’t know,” I keep rubbing my forehead. “I just…I got a horrible headache just now.”

“Well, are you going to put in a password or not?” Aleister demands.

“Huh, I thought I-” I look at the screen, and see the boxes empty.

What the _hell?_

I _know_ I typed something in!

“What is it?” Lila asks.

“I…” I shudder slightly, getting a weird sense of foreboding. “I think I’ll wait until we find some kind of clue as to what it is. Probably better not to guess.”

“Alright,” Sean nods. “We made progress. We should keep looking around the premises. Maybe we’ll find the password, or even another way to contact the mainland. Let’s keep moving.”

Everyone heads to the elevator, but I pause by the window and gaze at the others below, swimming along the shore.

“Are you coming, Cain?” Grace asks me.

“I’ll catch up,” I answer shortly. I don’t have the energy to come up with a convincing excuse, so I hope he’ll leave it at that and won’t ask why.

All I really want to do right now is lie down and wait for my headache to pass.

I just need more time to get my bearings.

Furball nudges my leg.

“Go on ahead, buddy,” I say gently, kneeling down the scratch the fox’s head. He scampers off towards the elevator.

“Well, meet us downstairs,” Sean says, then adds bitterly. “Unless you’re just gonna go shred some waves with Jake and the others.”

All of a sudden, I hear a soft hiss from behind me.

I turn and see a solid block of marble rising out of the floor before stopping a foot up. I draw closer, and catch the slot at the top.

This is a _paper shredder_.

Holy crap…

When Sean said ‘shred’, that must have been a voice command for the shredder to rise out of the ground!

“Hey, Sean!” I turn back to the elevator entrance.

But the doors are already sealed.

I focus back on the shredder. Under it is a bin of documents cut up into confetti. Stuck between the blades and fully intact is a small stack of folders.

The top folder is marked ‘confidential’ in red stamped letters. The logo for Rourke International is on the top left corner.

On the top right corner is…

“ _Sean?!_ ”


	17. The Files

On the cover of the folder is a photo of Sean.

I check the others. There are folders with pictures of Grace, Raj, and Estela too.

Oh my god…

Why the hell are there folders with pictures of my friends on them?!

Before I can even think, I open one of the folders.

There’s yellowed paper inside Estela’s folder. The info in it is heavily redacted. Her photo is blurry, and underneath it is some kind of weird symbol stamped on. I’ve never seen anything like it, but it feels distantly familiar…

I snap the folder back shut.

Dammit, this is just like at the security camera!

I have no right to pry into a person’s life. The bastards who spied on us had no right, and neither do I.

But…but what if there’s _something_ in the folder, something that can provide answers as to what’s going on here?

Maybe if I take note of the specific info these people have on us, then maybe it could be some kind of clue to _why_ they were watching us?

I sigh.

Swallowing my shame, I open the folder and keep reading.

Her first and middle names are redacted, but I see her surname is ‘Montoya’. The clearance on the file is ‘alpha’, whatever that means. It says she was born in January of 1996 (though it has a question mark on it, so I’m skeptical), and in Columbia.

Phrases that catch my attention on her background, between the redactions are ‘vanishing for years at a time’, and ‘military coup’.

One phrase in particular stands out a bit.

‘She will stop at nothing to’, followed by a redaction.

Is this what you came to La Huerta for, Estela? The same thing you’re willing to risk your life for?

I read on to her psychological profile.

‘Exceptionally determined, with the skills to pull of her goal thanks to her ex-mentor’ another redaction follows, ending with ‘untimely demise’.

Lastly put is a threat assessment, reading ‘do not approach!’

Why the hell do we have _threat assessments?!_

Just _who are we_ to these people for them to consider us threats?

My heart’s racing, and I do a few more scans of Estela’s file

I gaze into the strange symbol. It looks like some cross between a coathanger and a snake, but bits of dream static come at the edge of my mind when I look at it.

Weirdly, it calms me down a little.

I move on to Raj’s file.

I’m met with a picture of Raj’s smiling face, which was weirdly comforting. On his file is a red stamped symbol, like Estela’s but this looks like an arrow with a few squiggles here and there. It doesn’t seem to make sense, but it’s also… _somehow familiar_.

His file’s clearance reads epsilon, followed by his full name, Raj Aditya Bhandarkar. He apparently was born in Queens, New York, in 1995, October 7.

The file says he’s a business major, but spends most of his time getting high, and that his IQ of 178 (I almost drop the file at that) is a typo.

I can’t help but feel a bit peeved at how lowly the file speaks of Raj.

It’s not like we _asked_ for your opinions, jackasses.

The file also talks about a ‘role’ of some kind, and Raj’s being uncertain.

A _role?_ That means…

Oh my god…

That’s the reason every student was automatically entered into the raffle.

No, screw that. It wasn’t a ‘raffle’.

We were all _picked_ to come here.

They said the winners had the option to refuse, but who the hell would refuse an all-expenses paid vacation to a fucking island resort?

I put the file down, and run my hands through my hair.

Oh fuck… _shit_. This is too much to handle.

Come on, _breathe_. Focus. Get back to reading the files. If those two files gave me some answers, then the others have to have more.

Skimming Raj’s psychological profile, about the most danger her presents being property damage, and him having a threat assessment of one, I pick up Grace’s file next.

I almost drop it when I see her photo is a mugshot.

Tears are running down her face and it looks like she’s about to break into a sob in her picture. There’s another symbol, one that looks more familiar. Some kind of bird…

Huh. Maybe Estela and Raj’s symbols are animals too?

The file, like Raj’s, has epsilon clearance. It shows Grace’s full name, Grace Tamara Hall, born April 4, 1996, in Washington DC. She’s the daughter of Mansigh Transglobal EVP Blaire Hall, and that Grace matches her mother’s brilliance in every way…

…I frown when I read ‘because anything less is not an option’

Her psychological profile talks about her family pressure taking a toll and her having a possible history of lashing out. Her threat assessment reads six, along with ‘caution: actions may be unpredictable’.

 _Wow_ …okay, I should be sure not to make Grace mad.

I move on to Sean’s folder.

His picture seems normal, with him staring at the camera with his usual, confident smirk.

At the bottom of the file is another stamped symbol. Like the symbol on Grace’s file, it looks like some kind of bird.

Sean’s file has epsilon clearance, his full name reading Sean Marcus Gayle. He was born in May 14, 1995, in Jacksonville, Florida. His background shows that he’s the second son of Hall of Famer Marcus Gayle, whose career ended by head injuries, and also lost his money in a bunch of bad investments…

…Marcus Gayle…I remember that name!

In middle school, I had some friends…

…no, not friends. My _clique_.

Anyway, they were football fans, and most of what they talked about revolved around the sport, Marcus Gayle included.

I learned a bit about football just to indulge them in conversation, but honestly, I _never_ cared much for it.

Must be why I barely know about Sean, I guess.

At Hartfeld, I didn’t have any reason to learn anything about football.

Diego was my only friend since then, and with him, I never had to _pretend_ as much as I did with others.

Sure, there were two or three football games Diego dragged me to, but I practically slept through them.

Frowning, I read the last line of his background. ‘Family’s hopes ride on Sean.’

So he’s got a lot on his plate.

I keep reading. Sean’s psychological profile reads that he’s courageous, resilient, and a born leader. He’s already a national hero, and has ‘too much riding on his success to rock the boat’.

I read the threat assessment of four, and close the dossier.

I should talk to them about this…in _private._

They’ll probably be pissed off at me for reading these files, but they have a right to know.

I head to the elevator, and head back to the suite level from where Lila brought us.

Taking the regular elevator to my room’s floor, I go to my suite and stuff the folders under my bed’s mattress.

I immediately go back to the office elevator, and go to the lobby from there.

Until I show them the dossiers, I shouldn’t give them any reason to think I didn’t come straight from Rourke’s office.

I catch up with Sean and the others, who are just outside the hotel.

“Hey, Cain,” Sean smiles good naturedly at me. “Find anything else in Rourke’s office?”

“Nope, nothing,” I lie smoothly, but it leaves a bitter taste. “Apparently, the guy’s a minimalist when it comes to offices.”

I should only bring up the folders when we’re alone.

Just then, I see Jake and everyone who went to hang with him at the beach come up from around the bend.

The tension comes faster than any orange lightning storm.

With the way Jake and his crew come towards us, it’s almost like we’re blocking each other’s paths.

“Excuse us,” Jake grins cheekily.

Sean snorts and shakes his head.

“If you have something to say,” Jake looks evenly at Sean. “You should come out and say it.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Sean retorts. “I only save mine for people I respect”

Okay, the tension goes from being sky high to to-the-fucking-moon high.

Everyone visibly tenses up, like they feel the same way.

“Ouch. Don’t know how I’ll sleep at night without your respect.”

Sean steps towards Jake, making his height all the more clear.

Dammit, I guess I need to step in again.

I squeeze in between the two, pushing them apart.

“Come on, what are you doing? What is this gonna accomplish?”

“I’m not gonna let Captain America here,” Jake points accusingly at Sean. “Guilt you and everyone else into following him just to soothe his ego.”

“Ego?” Sean snaps. “Man, you’re the one here only thinking about yourself.”

“Oh my god,” Michelle shrieks. “Just butt out of our business!”

“You guys could have at least helped!” Grace yells.

“Yeah, you manage to call for help?” Craig challenges. “No? Then I guess we did as much as y’all did!”

“We don’t _need_ the opinion of the lowest common denominator!” Aleister sneers.

Dammit, is anger contagious?

Because right now, I just need to fucking yell at someone…

…but I bite my tongue.

I catch Diego looking at me apprehensively.

“Cain, this is getting real bad,” he says. “What do we do?!”

I don’t have an answer for him.

“Everyone, please!” Lila holds her hands up. “Let’s all consider our actions-”

“Look, Jake,” Sean growls. “I get that you basically quit on life to drink yourself stupid in a beach hammock in Central America, but I thought you were ex-military. I thought we could count on you to get us through this.”

“They don’t pay me _nearly_ enough,” Jake scoffs. “Aren’t you a little old for a babysitter? I thought _you_ were the leader around here anyway, Steve Rogers.”

Jake sidesteps around me and shoves his way past Sean.

“Sure,” Sean says coolly, glancing past his shoulder. “More cute nicknames. Do whatever you want, Jake. Maybe you’ve got nothing to go home to, but the rest of us still have a future to-”

In a second, Jake wheels around and punches Sean in the mouth.

“Jake, _what the hell?!_ ” I cry out.

“What?” he shrugs innocently. “Now he’s actually got something to whine about.”

“Funny,” Sean’s still standing, rubbing his jaw. “Figured a tough guy like you would hit harder.”

Sean’s repays Jake’s punch in full.

Everyone immediately begins shouting at each other while Craig tries to pull Sean away, and Raj does the same for Jake.

“Good luck ever getting off the island without lifting a finger!”

“I’d rather be stuck here forever than owe anything to people like you!”

Finally, the two groups separate, leaving me and Diego alone together in silence.

“So…that went well,” Diego stammers.

Gazing into the distance, the steady column of smoke rising from the island’s volcano seems a lot less comforting than when we flew in.

It’s almost _mocking_ , like it’s telling me, ‘ _This is no longer the world you knew._ ’

“We fenced ourselves in,” Diego laughs humorlessly. “But somehow, things got worse.”

“If we can’t find a way to work together, I don’t think we’re _ever_ getting out of here.”

“You’re right,” Diego rubs his forehead. “Oh god, this is _insane._ ”

“Hey, everyone will realize it’s pointless to hold a grudge and things will lighten up-”

Diego’s hyperventilating.

“I-I never should have made us go. God, it was such a stupid idea-”

“Diego!” I give him a slap in the face.

He stops, and starts taking deep breaths.

“Better?”

“Yeah,” Diego smiles gratefully at me. “Thanks for remembering _Kicking and Screaming_.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” I grin, and bump his shoulder. “Look, the sun’s going down, and it was a long day. Why don’t we sleep on this? If we give it some time, then maybe it’ll all cool down.”

“I guess so,” Diego admits. “You’re right. I mean, who can stay mad in a paradise like this?”

“There you go,” I punch his shoulder playfully. “Looks like the padawan just became a jedi knight.”

Diego laughs, and it’s halfway genuine.

The two of us head to the elevator, followed by Furball, and we get off at our floor.

“Wanna hang out for a while?” I offer. “There’s gotta be something to do around here.”

“Thanks, but maybe we should get some sleep. We don’t know when we’ll have to run away from something, so we better be fully charged!”

His humor is painfully forced.

“Hey,” I say before we part ways. “You know if you’re freaked out, you can talk to me about it, right?”

“I know. And thanks, really. But like you said, this whole thing can’t last forever. We just gotta give it some time.”

Diego turns to leave.

“Hey, maybe if we’re lucky, this’ll turn out to be some crazy dream!”

Or a nightmare.

I go to my room, followed by Furball. He gently nuzzles my side when I fall onto my bed, giving me a slight whimper.

“Everything will be fine,” I smile and scratch his ears. “You’ll see.”

I wish I was good enough a liar to fool myself.

Lying down on my bed, I close my eyes.

I’m not even that tired, but all I want is to zone out from everything that’s been going down, even if just for a while…

I fall onto the bed, and the last thing I hear before falling asleep is Furball scampering around my room.


	18. La Huerta Island Theater: Adaptation

People are such funny creatures, aren’t they?

You probably know that by now, but you gotta appreciate the mechanics of a good joke! You can know what makes a person tick and know what buttons to press to get what you want, but even then, they still surprise you!

It’s not just humans, but-

- _Spoiler alert!_ -

-But blue elves too.

With some people, you’re either with them or against them. I guess that’s just how they work.

Blue elves don’t like anything that isn’t a blue elf, and humans don’t like humans that disagree with them.

Polarity, along with lies, is the fabric of civilization.

Darwin, not the Darwin _you_ might be thinking of, brought up the concept of survival of the fittest.

Some confuse ‘fittest’ with ‘strongest’, or ‘smartest’. What he really meant was adaptation to change. Shedding your previous self and going through reinvention in order to survive.

What’s the fish going to do when snatched out of its friendly little bowl and thrust into unknown waters? Or not even waters at all? What if the fish is thrown in a pool of lava? It’s gotta get fireproof, and quick!

It’s a brave new world. Be careful not to let it swallow you whole!


	19. The Bar Crawl

When I open my eyes, I find Furball curled up next to me, gently pawing at my side.

He nuzzles my abdomen, and purrs contently.

“Good morning,” I smile tiredly as I pet his blue fur.

I get up and remove my old bandages before taking a shower.

After getting out and drying off, I take a look at the claw marks at my side as I prepare to reapply my bandages.

It doesn’t seem too bad. The wounds are still red, but at least they stopped bleeding.

I wrap fresh bindings Michelle gave me around my lower torso when I hear a knock at the door.

“Coming!” I call out, finishing the bandage and pull my shirt on.

Opening the door, I see Diego.

“Hey, Cain. Ready for breakfast?”

“I’m _always_ ready for breakfast,” I smirk at him. I leave and close the door to my suite before Furball trots out.

“Did you come straight from your room?” I ask.

“Yeah, I did,” Diego smiles knowingly. “I didn’t see any of the others though, but I’m _sure_ things cooled off. Just like you said they would.”

I figure he doesn’t really believe it himself.

Maybe that’s why he came to me first. So he wouldn’t have to face the possible shitstorm on his own. Not that I can blame him.

We finally get to the restaurant, and…

…okay, I know how clichéd the phrase “could cut the tension with a knife” is, but…

…sometimes clichés are accurate.

Everyone who went with Sean yesterday is on one side of the room, with everyone who went with Jake on the other.

A stiff silence hangs in the room. Everyone is either glaring at the group on the other side, or glancing around awkwardly.

Diego and I share a look.

I guess things hadn’t cooled off _at all._

Jake suddenly stands and walks towards the buffet table, which only has bagels and cereal.

Sean can’t seem to get up fast enough. He blocks Jake’s way.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

“Getting myself another bagel, Sergeant Buzzkill,” Jake sneers. “Got a problem with that?”

“Not everyone’s gotten a bagel yet. Since you’re not big on contributing to the team, the least you can do is wait ‘til everyone else has had a turn.”

“What the fuck are you, the Breakfast Police? Outta my way.”

“ _Sit. Your. Ass. Down. Now._ ”

“Hey, Sean!” I walk over to them and hold my hands up calmingly. “Come on, I mean no one ever killed anyone by getting a bagel, right?”

“Well look at that,” Jake smirks triumphantly. “Boy Scout’s on my side!”

“Wait! That’s not-”

“ _Really,_ Cain?” Sean looks at me disappointedly. “I thought you were better than that.”

“I’m _not_ taking anyone’s-”

“Don’t despair, Cap. There’s plenty of bagels to go around,” Jake winks at Sean as he steps past him. “I’ll grab you a plate, Boy Scout.”

“I’m going to go see if I can find a working radio,” Sean all but snarls. “Help me or don’t.”

Michelle, Grace, and Aleister get up to follow Sean as he leaves us all in a leaden silence.

I’m scarcely aware of Jake handing me a plate.

Glumly, I sit with Diego. I barely put a few bites into my food before I decide I’m not hungry.

“I’m gonna go get some air,” I mumble.

“Are you okay?” Diego asks me as I stand up.

“Fine, fine. I just need some time to myself.”

I head out to the pool. I take my shoes off and roll up my jeans to the knees before sitting down at the pool’s edge with my feet in the water.

Fuck…things have really gotten _bad_.

We’re trapped on an island with things that want to _kill_ us, and we have no way to get out of here or contact help.

Like Sean said yesterday, we’re not expected back for a week. Who _knows_ what might happen between now and then?

A morbid thought comes to me, that we’ll probably kill each other before a sabretooth or possessed kelp can.

Furball comes up beside me, whimpering slightly as though he senses my distress.

“I don’t know what to do, little guy,” I scratch the back of his head. “I don’t know what to do…and it’s freaking me out…”

The fox leans closer into my hand.

“It’ll probably sound dumb, but…it almost feels like I have some kind of… _personal responsibility_ to everyone here.”

Furball purrs and cocks his head.

I scoff.

“Like I said, sounds dumb.”

I shouldn’t be thinking like _I’m_ the only one worried about this whole stuck-on-an-island thing.

“Hey, Cain!” I turn to see Raj running up to me. “Can we talk?”

“Sure,” I muster up a smile as he sits down next to me.

“I’m not gonna mince words,” a solemn look crosses Raj’s face. “I’m worried about the others. If we keep up this whole feud, we’re _never_ gonna get off this island.”

I look at him like he’s the answer to my prayers.

“ _Right,_ ” I all but cry out.

I feel this overwhelming _relief_ washing over me, and a new vigor come from nowhere.

“We need a way to come together. I think I know how to do it, but I’m gonna need your help.”

“I’m listening,” I pull my feet out of the water and lean in eagerly.

“This is going to sound kind of crazy, but we need to throw a feast.”

“A _feast?_ ”

“Look, my grandmother had this saying. ‘Words make war, but pies make peace’. You dig?”

“That…that might actually work!”

“You think so?” Raj grins. “Most people just stare at me confused when I say it.”

“Wait, _how_ many times have you been in these kinds of situations?”

“Oh, you know,” Raj shrugs. “There was that one time at Chi Sigma Alpha, my _a capella_ group, oh, and junior prom! That was a doozy. Look, the point is, I’ve actually got a lot of experience bringing folks together, and there’s nothing that gets the job done better than good food, strong drinks, and a whole lotta laughs.”

Considering the amount of food recipes I get from the internet and ‘adventurous eating’ restaurants I drag Diego to, what he’s saying really resonates with me.

“Well, I’m sold,” I say, feeling better and more hopeful than I had since yesterday. “What’s the plan?”

“I’ll handle the cooking,” Raj sticks his thumb at himself. “I was poking around the kitchen earlier, and there is a _lot_ of good stuff I can work with in there.”

“Alright, so what can I do?”

“Come on, Cain! What’s the most important thing that every good feast needs?”

“Um…a community coming together in unity and support…?”

“Booze!” Raj declares grandly. “Really, _really_ good booze! I need you to hit up all the bars in the resort and make sure the party tonight is _stocked_.”

“Don’t we already have a lot down here already?”

“Well yeah, we’ve managed to put a surprisingly big dent in our beer supply, but we can’t just serve your average pool bar swill at a feast like this! We need the good stuff! The golden label! The crème de la crème!”

“Okay…”

“I mean literally! We need a bottle of Crème de la Crème.”

“They actually _make_ booze with that name?”

“Yeah! And I need it to make some signature cocktails the feast can’t do without!”

“So the plan is I search through all the bars in the resort for some special booze? Sounds simple enough.”

Raj claps my back.

“I knew I could count on you! Now listen up. I’m gonna need some specific ingredients for the drinks I got in mind. Along with Crème de la Crème, I also need a bottle of McLellyn’s Whiskey, and Armand de Fleur. You got that?”

“I got it,” I smile at him as I get up and put my shoes back on.

“Good luck Cain! The fate of the party is on your shoulders!”

Raj makes his way to the kitchen, and I head for the ballroom, Furball trailing after me happily.

Considering the wine we found there two days ago, I figured there has to be at least one of Raj’s drinks at the ballroom.

Heading to the elevator, I jump as I feel a hand on my shoulder.

“Hey there, buddy,” Zahra materializes beside me, smirking. “Heard you were going on a bar crawl.”

“Hold on, were you _eavesdropping_ on me and Raj?”

“You say ‘eavesdropping’, I say ‘conveniently overhearing while hiding behind a corner’. I’m in.”

“Wait, what?”

“Look, let’s just say I’m a pretty experienced drinker. I’ve got a hell of a discerning palate. You want this just to be some run-of-the-mill frat party beer run? Go right ahead. But if you wanna come back with the best of the best, I’m your gal.”

“Well…” I guess some help couldn’t hurt…

“Whoa!” Craig comes from behind a corner. “What’s this I hear about a beer run?”

“Doesn’t anyone here _not_ eavesdrop?!”

“Come on, Cain,” Craig lightly punches my shoulder. “You’re gonna need someone to carry all those bottles. Someone big and strong!”

“Hey!” Zahra scowls. “I called going with him first!”

“Well, I called it second! And everyone knows first is the worst, second’s the best!”

“ _Who?_ _Who_ knows that?!”

“I’m sorry,” I hold my hands up. “Can we back up for a minute? Are you guys just trying to get drunk?”

“Chyeah, dog!” Craig grins. “You get it!”

He holds out his fist for me to bump, but Zahra slaps his hand away.

“You gotta learn how to read a tone, Craig,” she turns to me. “And yes. We’re just trying to get drunk. It’s hot, we’re stuck on this island with no apparent way off. _And_ there’s the risk of getting eaten by something that’s supposed to be extinct. Can you blame us?”

“Well,” I scratch the back of my neck. “Not when you put it like _that_ …alright, why don’t all three of us go together?”

Both their eyes widen and they begin stammering.

“But…”

“No, that’s…”

They look at each other for a moment, and sigh.

“Fine,” Zahra says curtly. “But I still get first sip.”

“And I get to drink the most!” Craig asserts.

“See?” I laugh. “You’re getting along already. Now come on. I have an idea of where to get the drinks Raj needs.”

We walk further through the hotel, and we arrive at the doors to the ballroom.

I throw them open and-

- _what the fuck?!_

I’m suddenly standing on a rickety, shaking catwalk over a sea of bubbling magma.

I cry out and double back, and I’m able to make out the shape of a person.

Through the smoke, I catch a lion’s mask on his head, gleaming in the magma’s light…

…and I’m back in the hotel ballroom.

“What…what was…” I stammer.

“What was what?” Zahra asks.

“You just totally spaced out there for a sec,” Craig says.

“I…I saw…”

They didn’t see it…?

Goddammit…

I should forget about it. There’s no way they’ll believe me. No one believed me about seeing the sabretooth at the party.

Shaking my head, I enter into the ballroom

“Never mind. Let’s go, we have some booze to find.”

“This place don’t exactly look like a bar _,_ dude,” Craig scowls.

“In fancy weddings like these,” I smirk. “Rich couples go all out on nice wine and champagne.”

“Cain knows what’s up,” Zahra nods at me. “We checked this place out on the first day, and hoo boy, they’ve got some good ass shit.”

“Yeah, well,” Craig mutters. “Where I’m from, the only thing they serve at weddings is cheap beer and moonshine.”

“I’ve always wondered, do you actually drink it out of a jug labeled ‘XXX’, or is that just a stereotype?”

“Come on, stay on target, you two,” I speak up. “Raj is looking for three drinks in particular. Armand de Fleur, Crème de la Crème, and McLellyn’s whiskey.”

Zahra let’s out an impressed whistle.

“That’s some good stuff. I gotta hand it to Raj, boy knows his booze.”

“I think I see a couple bottles over here!” Craig races over to the bar fridge. He cracks it open, pulls out two bottles, and stuffs them in his backpack.

“Awesome!” I smile. “Alright, let’s go check-”

“Hold your horses, Cain,” Zahra holds her hand up. “It’s not a bar crawl unless you do some actual drinking.”

“I don’t exactly remember saying this _was_ a bar crawl…”

Zahra pops open a champagne bottle from a table and takes a sip.

“Oh yeah,” she moans. “Tastes like horrific wealth disparity.”

Craig follows her suit, taking a bottle and chugs from it.

“Tastes like champagne. What’s the big whoop?”

“The whoop is that it’s one of the finest, most flavorful champagnes in the world, you philistine.”

“Racist much? My family’s from Taiwan.”

“How about you, Cain?” Zahra turns to me. “Gonna drink?”

I should really stay focused…

…ah what the hell.

“Count me in!”

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Craig grins. “Cheers!”

I grab my own bottle, and the three of us raise our drinks together in a toast.

Taking a swig, I savor the champagne’s wonderful flavor. It’s sweet, bubbly, with a fruity taste of pear and a lingering sweetness.

“Oh, wow, this is amazing!” I take another swig.

“Hell yeah!” Craig takes another drink himself.

My bottle’s almost halfway empty, and I can feel a buzz of drunkenness.

“Okay, I’m _definitely_ feeling that,” I chuckle “Let’s go check out the next bar while we’re still almost-sober.”

We’re back to walking down the hallway, and we come to a thick double door. A sign hands up next to the doors, reading ‘Club Skullkid’.

“The hell is this?” Craig asks.

He opens the doors, and a room of dark, purple lighting is shown. Seats and tables decorate the club, and a lava lamp stands at the center, looking like a glass pillar.

“Whoa…” I gape at the sight.

Craig looks _ecstatic_.

“Oh _what?_ No one told me there was a nightclub! Why are we not tearing this place down every night?!”

“Because,” Zahra replies. “I can think of no worse way to spend my time than listening to shitty EDM while watching your sweaty ass fumble around.”

Craig scoffs.

“You’re just jealous cuz you don’t have my moves.”

He starts dancing, and…

…

…I literally have _no words_.

“See? Cain’s impressed! He’s in awe of me!”

“Catch him if he faints,” Zahra mutters, and she goes to examine the DJ booth. “What is this, like, retro night? All this equipment is from the mid-90’s. Not to mention the music they have.”

“Let’s check the bar,” I suggest. “A nightclub’s gotta have a ton of cocktail supplies.”

We begin searching the bottles at the bar.

“Let’s see,” Zahra rifles through the alcohol. “We’ve got blackberry liqueur, absinthe, hot chili vodka…and here it is! Two bottles of Crème de la Crème!”

Craig takes one of the bottles.

“‘A premiere flavored liqueur, with hints of chocolate, vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon.’”

Opening the bottle, he takes a big chug.

“So _sweet!_ ” Craig’s face twists. “And… _creamy!_ ”

A few drops of the Crème de la Crème spill from Craig’s bottle and onto the nightclub’s floor.

Furball scampers to the drops that spilled out, and laps it up.

“Heh,” Zahra laughs. “Guess it was unfair not to let him have his share of the booze.”

Immediately, the fox snarls and spits out the drink, running behind my legs.

“Or not.”

“Well who can blame him?” Craig asks. “That stuff was like chocolate milk, ice cream, and coco puffs mixed together! And that’s _not_ as tasty as it sounds, trust me!”

“You’re meant to mix a tiny bit of it into a cocktail,” Zahra sighs. “Not chug it like cheap beer.”

“Well where’s the warning label?!”

“Give it here,” she takes the bottle. “Lemme show you how it’s done.”

Zahra swings around the bar and begins mixing together a bunch of different drinks.

She finally slides a multicolored drink in a tall glass to Craig. He takes a sip, and his eyes widen as he grins.

“Oh yeah! That’s good.”

“Better be. There’s six or seven shots in there.”

“There’s no way I’m keeping you two sober, is there?” I sigh.

“No chance in hell,” Zahra grabs an empty glass. “Want one?”

“Alright,” I shrug and smile. “You only live once, right?”

“YOLO, baby!” Craig whoops. “I got that tattooed on my butt!”

“We remember, Craig,” Zahra shudders. “Thanks for the flashback.”

Zahra finishes up my cocktail and slides it to me. I take a sip, and a taste with all the richness of cream hits me, followed by a candy-like sweetness and a slight burn down my throat.

“Oh, wow,” I cough a bit. “That’s delicious. And _very_ strong. Want one, Furball?”

The fox yelps at me indignantly.

I take another sip, and see that Zahra’s finished making her own drink.

“I gotta say, Cain,” she smirks. “I had you down for some preppy, smiley loser, but…you’re actually all right.”

Huh.

I’d usually have no idea how to take that, but…

…for some reason, I can’t fight off this weird feeling of nostalgia.


	20. The Codes

An hour later, Zahra, Craig, and I are in the hallway, carrying bags of liquor…

…and everything’s _spinning_.

“Hey, someone stop the island! It’s moving too fast!”

“Craig’s drunk,” Zahra cackles. “He’s as drunk as a guy who’s always drunk and is like ‘Hey! Lookie me! I’m drunk’! Holy shit, I’m drunk too.”

“You guys…” I hiccup. “You guys are…” Hiccup. “This was the bestest… _wheeeeee!_ ”

“Yo, Zahra! I think Cain’s feeling it!”

“Okay,” I snap to attention. “Let’s putton our serious faces!” I do a scrunched up scowl, and Zahra and Craig snicker. “So…we’ve got Amanda de fleur, Crème la Crème la Crème, we forgettin’ somethin’?”

“McLellyn’s” Zahra answers.

“Who’s he?” Craig asks.

“I mean the _whiskey_ , doofus! And there _is_ one more bar.”

“There is?” I ask.

“Yup. Saw it when I was going over hotel blueprints. Something called the VIP Lounge.”

“VIP Lounge?” Craig perks up. “Didn’t see nothing about that in the brochure…”

“That’s cuz you’re no damn VIP. Unless it stands for Vomiting…Idiot…Poo-head.”

I burst out in giggles.

“Oh wow,” Craig deadpans. “Sick burn, ‘Z’. Really got me with that one.”

“Shaddup and follow me,” Zahra leads us down the hall.

We stop at a huge locked door. Examining the keypad on the door, Zahra flicks out a pocketknife.

“Simple one-source keypad authentication?” Zahra scoffs. “It’s like they _want_ me to break in.”

“You sure this is the best idea?” I ask.

“Sauce. It’s the _VIP Lounge_ ,” Craig says. “You know they only got the best shizz in there.”

“The drunker you get,” Zahra laughs. “The more you sound like your old self, Craiggers. Remember that time in freshman year,” Zahra continues, but stops when she turns to me. “Nevermind.”

Freshman year…

…I remember her mentioning that while I was…while I was spying the two of them from the security cameras.

“I’m in,” I say, remembering that I still owed Raj a bottle of whiskey. “Let’s check the VIP lounge”

“Hell yeah,” Zahra grins.

“Let’s. Break. Down. This. Door!”

Craig puts a few feet between himself and the door…

…and charges at it.

He rams the door with his shoulder, but it doesn’t even budge.

“ _Ow…_ ”

“Watch and learn,” Zahra scoffs. She pries open the keypad panel with her knife. “Do me a favor, Cain. Keep Craig occupied for me.”

“You sure you should be doing that drunk?” I ask.

“What’s the worst that could happen? I trip the wrong wire and 10,000 voltes of electricity surge through my body, leaving you idiots screaming at my charred corpse?”

Whelp, I don’t need Raj’s hangover cure, because sobers me up in a heartbeat.

“Uh, Craig, is she kidding? _Please_ tell me she’s kidding.”

“I never can tell with her.”

Zahra continues fiddling with the wires. A drop of sweat trickles down her forehead.

A spark comes out of her clipping two wires together, and the doors immediately slide open.

“Slap my ass and call me Snape, cuz I just I just worked some magic!”

Craig and I stare at her.

“Tell _anyone_ I said that, and I’ll kill you both.”

We walk into the lounge, and we’re met with lights sparkling in the ceiling, lighting up a water feature at the center. Chairs and tables decorate the room, and empty glasses sit, prepared to be filled.

Behind the bar, in a glass display case, sits more bottles of alcohol than I’ve ever seen anywhere in my life.

“Okay, good call, Zahra,” I turn to her. “This was totally worth it.”

“Uh, duh,” she grins. “It’s called the VIP Lounge. Of course it’s worth it. Now let’s see what we can swipe…”

Zahra goes towards the bar, but trips over a chair and flops onto a nearby couch.

“You okay?” I ask.

“On second thought,” she answers. “I’m just gonna lie here for a while. If someone could sorta kinda maybe pour a drink into my mouth, that’d be great.”

Craig rummages through the bottles.

“Lessee…we’ve got some nice-ass vodka, a crystal ball full of gin, and in the fridge…oh hells yeah! They’ve got a cheese tray!”

“Wait Craig!” I call out. “You have no idea how old that stuff…oh, never mind. You already ate half of it.”

“Don’t bother, Cain,” Zahra laughs. “Craig’s a human garbage disposal. One time freshman year, he ate a candy bar he dropped in a public hot tub.”

“The water’s hot!” Craig says with a full mouth. “That means it’s sterile!”

“Who. Taught. You. Science?”

“So you guys knew each other freshman year?” I blurt out.

Their previous mirth is gone, and Zahra and Craig glance at each other nervously.

“We, uh,” Zahra scratches the back of her neck. “Well, you know.”

Craig isn’t much better.

“I mean…we…there was…”

“Were you two dating?” I ask.

I know I’m prying again. But honestly, I’m too drunk to stop myself.

And if they want to drop the subject, all they have to do is say so.

“What?!” Craig looks alarmed. “No! No no no! That’s crazy, where’d you even _get_ that idea?”

“Oh my god, Craig,” Zahra snaps from the couch, sitting up. “Don’t have a hernia. Yeah, so we hooked up a few times. What’s the big deal?”

“I thought you didn’t want to tell people…” Craig trails off.

“Yeah well, sometimes I just don’t have the energy or sobriety to lie about it.”

Zahra leans back on the couch, rubbing her forehead.

“Sorry to bring it up,” I say, feeling guilty. “I just…I kinda have a hard time picturing you two together.”

“We were different people back then,” Zahra shrugs. “Just two dorky freshmen with no idea what to do, stuck in the same hall.”

Craig walks over to the couch, holding two glasses of scotch. He sits down and hands her a glass.

“You remember that blonde hair you had?” Craig gives a small laugh. “You’ve always wear it a ponytail, and over that pony sweater.”

“Oh, you were a total dork!” Zahra smirks. “You had glasses and a bowlcut and all you ever wanted to talk about was _World of Warcraft_.”

“Please! Like you didn’t totally make your own character just so we could raid Scholomance together.”

“God, I forgot all about that,” Zahra smiles wistfully. “We wasted so many hours together…”

Her smile fades.

“Then your stupid football team started winning, and you and Sean became kings of the school. All you wanted to do then was go to frat parties with perky little cheerleaders.”

“You coulda come with me,” Craig frowns sadly. “But you just wanted to hang with those creepy hackers in the CS department.”

“At least they _listened_ to me. They _got_ what I had to say,” Zahra huffs. “Hey…you think our _Warcraft_ characters still exist? Just waiting around on some dusty server?”

“They’re probably lonely…” Craig sighs.

The two of them sit together for a while, and I just stand there, watching awkwardly.

Zahra suddenly gets up.

“Sun’s setting. We should prolly get back to Raj.”

“Yeah,” Craig gets up from the couch too. “Time to go.”

“Hang on,” I walk over to the bar shelf. “Let’s at least see if we can find the whiskey Raj wanted.”

Like magic, I suddenly find it standing out by itself, apart from the cluster of bottles.

“Got it! McLellyn’s!”

I move to leave, but I notice something else on the bar.

A glass of whiskey.

“What’s up?” Craig asks.

“There’s a glass of half-drunk whiskey right here,” I hold the glass up. “Everything’s neatly put away too, except for this. It’s…almost like someone was here having a drink all by themselves…”

I turn to see Furball growling.

“What is it?”

Furball bares his teeth, his eyes trained at the glass I’m holding.

I set it down carefully.

Why on earth would Furball growl at the glass…?

“Spooky! Maybe it was a guh-guh-guh- _ghost!_ ”

“Hey, look over here,” I pick up a slip of paper that’s a foot next to the whiskey glass and read it. “‘Project Hermes activation codes. Utilizes satellite uplink at LHO’. And I’m guessing the mess of numbers and letters are the codes.”

Zahra walks over and takes a look at the paper.

“Any idea what it means?” I ask.

“Nope,” she shrugs. “Now come on. Let’s get out of here before it gets all sentimental here again.” 

* * *

Zahra and Craig leave me with the alcohol when we get to the kitchen.

There, I find Raj hunched over pots and pans, and suddenly, I’m hit with an assortment of _amazing_ smells.

I suddenly realize all at once how hungry I am. I hadn’t eaten anything all day aside from the part of a bagel this morning and a bag of pretzels I found at the nightclub.

“Hot damn, Raj,” I hear Raj say. “You have outdone yourself this time!”

Furball scampers all around the floor, greedily licking scraps off the floor.

“Hey, slow down, Furball! You don’t want to get sick before the feast!”

“Cain!” Raj turns to me. “You’re back! Tell me you found the good stuff!”

I set down the bags Zahra and Craig left me, and Raj goes through them.

“Dude! You found _all_ of them!”

“I had help from Zahra and Craig.”

“Awesomeness! I gotta thank them later on,” he leans closer to me, takes a sniff, and grins. “Sample the goods on your way back?”

“Maybe…just a few sips…” I chuckle. “Looks like you’ve got things pretty handled here.”

“Oh, it wasn’t just me,” Raj turns. I follow his gaze, and see Quinn in an apron, over some pots. “Quinn offered to help me out. She’s an _amazing_ cook.”

“Oh, I’m just following instructions,” Quinn smiles. “This feast is all Raj.”

“Anyway,” Raj says. “I’m gonna check out how the setup’s looking. Be back in a bit!”

He turns to leave, but stops by the door.

“Hey, Cain,” Raj begins. “You’re keeping track of all the crazy stuff on the island, right?”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“Maybe this isn’t a big deal,” he hesitates before heading to one of the tables. “But I _did_ find something weird in the kitchen. All the frying pans are normal. But I found one with some kinda weird symbol on it.”

Raj picks up from the table a silver frying pan that…

…holy shit.

That’s the _exact_ same symbol I saw on Raj’s dossier.

“Huh,” I keep myself from revealing any kind of recognition, and just focus on showing confusion.

Not hard to do. If there’s one thing this island’s good at doing, it’s confusing me.

“I’m not sure why,” Raj continues. “But something about that symbol just…it _stands out_ to me. It feels important somehow. And it feels like the reason why is just on the tip of my tongue, but I just can’t figure it out. Does that sound crazy?”

“Yeah,” I say, but add quickly. “But _everything_ about this whole island is crazy.”

“Touché,” Raj laughs. “You see anything else like that, you’ll let me know?”

That friendly, trusting smile and the memory of his dossier together is like a punch to my gut.

“Sure thing,” I smile back at him.

Raj leaves, and I turn to Quinn. She’s stirring something in a mixing bowl.

“How are things going?” I ask.

“Great!” she grins. “We just have dessert left! Wanna stick around and help me cook? I could always use another pair of hands.”

“Count me in,” I smile, grabbing an apron from a nearby rack.

“I was hoping you’d say that!”

She smiles sweetly from across the counter, and I feel my cheeks heat up a bit.

I move next to her at the counter, and I find several rows of fluffy cupcakes.

“Whoa,” I feel my mouth water slightly. “How many are there?”

“I finished up about fifty,” Quinn answers.

“Wow, but are you sure that’ll be enough? At this rate, we only get four apiece, and I’m kind of a six-cupcake guy.”

“I’ve always said,” Quinn laughs brightly. “That there are only two certain truths in the world. We’re all gonna die, and you can never have too many cupcakes.”

“So a good-news, bad-news scenario?” I chuckle.

“Exactly! Now, the most important part of baking any cupcake is-”

“Eating it?”

“Okay, the _second_ most important part, the frosting! What do you think we should go with? Vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry?”

Hm…vanilla might be too plain, and I don’t know if anyone here has chocolate allergies…

“How about strawberry?”

“Oh I love strawberry!” Quinn opens a fridge and takes out two jars of frosting. “You’re in luck. This place is stocked with the fanciest, most delicious strawberry frosting I’ve ever tasted.”

We stuff the frosting into piping bags, and begin to frost the cupcakes.

“You bake a lot?” I ask. “You’re really good at this.”

“I used to when I was younger,” Quinn smiles fondly. “My mom and I were home a lot, so we used to spend the whole day in the kitchen, whipping up pies and soufflés and gigantic trays of cupcakes. My dad would come home from work, and pretend he was so flustered every time. ‘Darn it you two!’”

Quinn deepens her voice in a comical way that makes me laugh and almost mess up on the frosting.

“’Where’s my stead and potatoes! A man can’t live on cupcakes alone!’ Then as soon as we weren’t looking, he’d stuff himself silly.”

“Sounds like you had a lot of good times when you were a kid,” I grin.

“Yeah…I did.”

Quinn’s smile fades a bit, and that hollow look flashes on her face again, but only for a second.

The more I keep seeing that hollowness in her eyes, the more I wonder what could possibly have happened to Quinn to cause it.

My mind goes to when she said something happened to her to make her appreciate every day, and how she said her life isn’t worth it…

…and I realize I had frosted my half of the cupcakes.

“So,” I force myself to forget the subject and give a charming smile. “Does the Frosting Assistant get a free sample?”

“Only because you were so cute when you asked,” Quinn giggles.

I take one cupcake, and when my teeth sink into it…

…oh my _god_ …

The flavor of the strawberry frosting melting on my tongue alone is good enough, but the cupcake itself is fluffy, with residual warmth from the oven. Its sweetness stands out, but not overwhelmingly.

“That,” I immediately take another bite. “Just might be the best cupcake I’ve ever eaten!”

“‘Might be’?” Quinn clutches her heart in mock offense. “Oh no. That was definitely the best cupcake you’ve ever eaten.”

I finish the cupcake, making sure to savor every bite.

“I think we’ll have to get someone to guard the cupcakes, because there’s _no way_ I’ll be able to be satisfied with just four per person!”

“You’ll stick with four and like it!” she waves a mixing spoon at me threateningly and I grin.

“Alright, I give! But if we had internet here, I’d totally write Quinn’s Cupcakes a five-star review.”

“Funny you should mention that. When I was a kid, I always dreamed of opening my own bakery. I was going to call it ‘For Goodness Cake’, and we’d serve nothing but cupcakes.”

“Would you personally bake every single one?”

“For you? Absolutely. And Cain? Thanks for helping me. This was fun.”

“Yeah,” I smile warmly. “It was.”

Impulsively, I give her a hug.

“What’s that for, Cain?” She asks.

“For you being you. I had a really great time doing this.”

And it’s true.

I’ve been freaking out so much about everything that’s been happening, and doing something fun like this is like a godsend.

“Same to you,” I can hear Quinn’s smile in her voice as she hugs me back “You’re a really great friend. Really.”


	21. The Feast

I stroll out to the pool area, and see the place lit up as brightly as the party the first night here.

Festive music comes from speakers, and torches lit all over the place, the flickering flame practically dancing to the songs.

On the dining table…

…okay, I’m pretty sure I’m _drooling._

The smells hit me all at once. A mountain of fries, burgers fresh of the grill, pork chops still sizzling, oysters, fruits, an array of deserts…

“Can I eat it all now?” I blurt out. “ _Please?_ ”

Raj sees me, and bounds over to me with a grin.

“I can’t throw a ball or fly a plane, but you’d better believe I can cook a mean feast!”

“Eat. Now. _Please!_ ”

God, I can’t even form a full sentence.

“Go ahead, take a seat before you drool on me!”

Heading to the table, I take the last empty seat, which is between Aleister and Diego.

“Hey man!” Diego grins.

“Hello, Cain,” Aleister nods.

“Hey,” I give them both a quick smile and immediately begin filling my plate.

“Are you sure that’s enough?” Aleister scoffs, but he looks like he’s enjoying the oysters and grilled vegetables before him.

On my right, I see Diego gorging himself on pork chops and fries.

“It’s official,” he says with a full mouth. “I’m eating at Raj’s every day for the rest of my life.”

I begin to fill the extra plate I got for Furball, who’s sitting on my lap and eyeing the food.

“Avoid giving him grains,” Aleister says. “If his digestive system is like that of a regular fox, then meat would do. And be generous with fruits and vegetables.”

“Right, thanks!” I smile gratefully at him.

“I hear you’ve been busy making sure we would be well-inebriated tonight.”

“Yeah,” I laugh. “Craig and Zahra helped a lot too. So how was your day?”

“Well,” he actually smirks. “I didn’t get attacked by an extinct carnivore or stranded in a subterranean tunnel. So, average?”

I snicker.

After filling mine and Furball’s plates, we both begin eating.

I look at the table, and I notice everyone’s divided again. Jake’s group and Sean’s are both on opposite sides.

At one end of the table, on Aleister’s other side is Grace, and next to her is Michelle.

“Oh goodness!” Grace’s eyes widen as she eats shrimp. “These coconut shrimps are sublime.”

“I know, right?” Michelle grins as she loads her plate with some more of the shrimp. “Raj really outdid himself!”

I smile, but when I look at the other end…

“Pass the fries, would ya?” Sean scowls to the person sitting next to him.

“What, are your big jock hands broken or something?” Jake snaps.

Oh boy, _who_ put those two next to each other?

Raj, I hope your plan works.

As if on cue, Raj comes up to the table with a big tray of drinks of all shapes and sizes. He places one drink in every person’s hand.

He gives me a poco grande glass filled with an orange drink with ice, with a long twig of rosemary hanging slightly from the glass’s edge. Diego’s is a footed iced tea glass filled with a bright green liquid and topped with a lime slice.

“Dare I ask what’s happening here?” Aleister asks, looking at his drink, a steely grey drink in a brandy sniffer with a sprig of herb sticking out.

“I have brought everyone here,” Raj grins, holding his own glass, filled with a red-orange drink and topped with cherries and a small umbrella. “A signature drink! One that I think is right for just them! Cain, Zahra, and Craig found all the ingredients-”

“Damn straight,” Zahra grins, holding up her drink, a dark red one in a cocktail glass topped with blackberries, in a toast.

“Can we drink _now?!_ ” Craig whines, looking longingly at his pint glass filled with a brown drink and topped with several fruit slices.

“Dude, how the hell can you wanna drink after pigging out like you did? I’m one fry away from a yuke on the floor.”

“We can drink in a sec,” Raj assures. “But first, lemme make a toast. Right now, we’re sitting at this table, and every single one of us is holding a completely different drink, and not _just_ because I like mixing up cocktails. It’s also a pretty good metaphor. When you look at us from a distance, we all look pretty different. And on the surface, we are. Jocks and nerds, hackers and bullies, you’d think none of us have anything in common.”

“Who’s the bully?” Craig whispers.

“But that’s just the _surface_ ,” Raj continues. “Just the glass that holds the contents. Because deep inside, these drinks have a lot in common. They’re all delicious, full of alcohol, and were made for one very important purpose. To bring us all together again.”

He pauses for a second before speaking again.

“We all want to get off this island. Back to safety, to our homes, our families, our lives. But we’re never going to accomplish that unless we can overcome our superficial differences and work together as a group. The fact is, everyone here has a role to play, all equally important.”

“Some of us are natural leaders, confident and assertive,” Raj looks at Sean.

“Others are rebels, who test boundaries and find new solutions,” he turns to Jake and Zahra.

“There are the positive thinkers, doing what they can to keep our spirits up,” he looks at Quinn and Lila.

“Some of us are quiet while our minds work and study the way the world works,” Raj looks at Grace next.

“Others are loud and strong, keeping us all safe,” he then looks at Craig.

“Some of us are decisive thinkers, willing to be brutally honest when they need to be,” he says, looking at Michelle and Aleister.

“There are our peacemakers, looking for a common ground to keep us from getting divided,” he turns to Diego and me.

“And…some of us, well…are insanely cute blue foxes with crazy ice powers.”

Furball stops eating for a moment, and purrs through his crumb-covered muzzle.

“If we keep fighting,” Raj continues. “If we keep focusing on what sets us apart, then we’re gonna tear _each other_ apart.”

He makes another small pause.

“But if we come together, if we focus on what we have in common, we can figure this mystery out. We can get off this island and go back home with a memory of the most amazing adventure of our lives. So then, what do you guys say? Can we come together for a toast?”

Everyone is quiet. The silence could leave a dropping pin audible.

Suddenly, Sean raises his highball glass, filled with a dark brown drink with ice and topped with small sprigs of herbs, towards Jake.

“To coming together.”

Jake looks at him for a moment, and then nods.

“To getting back home,” they clink glasses.

I raise my own glass.

“To new friends!”

We all raise our glasses together, clinking with everyone sitting near to me.

“Thanks for putting this together,” Sean nods to Raj, Zahra, Craig, Quinn, and me. “We sure needed it.”

“Yeah,” Jake takes a sip from his drink, in a beer bottle and smoking with vapor. “This is pretty nice.”

Pretty soon, the entire night fades into laughs, grins, stories, and jokes.

Despite the number of times I’ve almost died yesterday…I’m actually having fun.

Good food, great people…

…and I’m feeling nostalgic again.

Like I _missed_ this… _missed_ everyone…

“So, Shooter,” Jake says to Sean. “Any luck radioing for help?”

“Not so much,” Sean frowns. “Every radio signal I try just gives me static. It’s like the whole island is on a technology detox.”

“Well,” Grace speaks up. “It’s clear this island is cut off from traditional communication channels. We’d need something more sophisticated.”

“That’s correct,” Aleister nods. “Grace and I believe a satellite uplink could be a strong enough signal to get through the interference.”

Satellite uplink…?

_Hold the goddamn phone!_

“I saw a note about that earlier!” I exclaim. “In the VIP lounge. It said there was a satellite uplink at some place called the LHO.”

“LHO! I know that!” Lila cries. “La Huerta Observatory! We could use the state-of-the-art observatory to make direct contact to Mr. Rourke’s satellite relay…” her face falls. “But we still don’t know where the observatory is.”

“Hey,” Jake speaks next. “Would this be a good time to mention that the other day when I went jet skiing, I saw a big domed building with a giant telescope? I’ll take just one guess as to what that was. Probably about seven miles north of here, up high on the slopes of the volcano…”

For a moment, no one speaks.

It’s like…it’s like we’ve all stepping into a moment that isn’t supposed to be real.

And yet somehow, it’s _happening._

“Guys…” Diego breaks a stunned silence. “I think we just figured out what we need to do.”

* * *

After the feast turns into a celebration of finding a way back home _and_ coming back together, we decide to divide our cleanup duties and go right asleep.

So, here are Quinn, Jake, and I, cleaning up the lights and décor.

At least I’m not doing the dishes or anything.

All the torches are snuffed out, the pool area dimly lit by the few electric lights around here.

“Quinn,” Jake smirks, rolling up a string of party lights. “If that cupcake recipe of yours ain’t a secret or anything, I gotta know how you baked them.”

“From the way you were wolfing yours down, I bet!” Quinn laughs as she helps me snuff out the torches. “And here I was thinking there would be too much.”

“That’s _exactly_ what I said,” I say as I put the unlit torches into a cardboard box. “And I helped make them, by the way.”

Quinn sticks her tongue out at me.

“All you did was frost them, and that was only half!”

The three of us have a good long laugh.

“So, Boy Scout,” Jake starts. “I’ve been meaning to ask, you guys find anything yesterday searching the hotel?”

“Nothing really,” I shrug. “We found Rourke’s office tough. It has a computer, but it’s password protected. And this time, there’s no clue.”

After putting a roll of lights into a box, Jake sighs and turns to me.

“Look, Cain, you gotta to understand, all of us at the beach yesterday, it’s not like we just decided to pretend everything was hunk dory and leave you to do the heavy lifting. We just needed a breather. A chance to clear our heads.”

I nod.

“Yeah, I get that. It’s not like I’m that mad or anything.

“I’m glad,” Quinn smiles, but that hollow look mars her eyes. “The world has a habit of crushing you if you don’t come up for air.”

“Right,” I nod. “Everything that happened was a lot to take in, and…Jake, you had your own thing to deal with. I’m sorry about your plane.”

Jake sighs.

“Delilah…that’s my plane’s name. Delilah.”

“You named your plane?” I can’t help but smirk a little.

Jake scowls.

“Don’t make fun. I’m still in mourning.”

“Sorry, sorry,” I put my hands up in surrender.

“You must have loved your plane a lot to name her,” Quinn points out.

“I put everything I had into her. She was the one thing in the world that was still mine. And now…well, these things can be hard when you’re surrounded by strangers.”

“Aw, c’mon!” Quinn pouts. “We’re still strangers?”

“Eh,” Jake smirks. “Maybe some of you graduated to acquaintances. But…to be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve been surrounded by anyone _but_ strangers.”

We’re quiet for a while.

“Jake,” I begin, treading carefully. “Why did you go to Costa Rica?”

He opens his mouth to speak, but pauses. Jake studies the two of us for a few seconds.

“Either of you ever had a secret, one you couldn’t tell anyone…and it made you feel like you were drowning?”

I immediately freeze.

Well…drowning is one way to describe the feeling.

Also suffocating, smothering, oppressive…

What I never told anyone…not even _Diego_ …

I refused to even think about it. It would stay buried in the recesses of my brain. I swore a long time ago to take the secret to my grave.

“Yes,” Quinn’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.

I look to her, and Quinn’s face is a mix of vulnerability and that _hollowness_.

She stares at the ground and says nothing more.

“Look, Quinn, Jake,” I say. “I won’t ask if you don’t want to talk about it. But we’re all friends here. Whatever it is, it won’t change what I think of either of you.”

And it’s true.

I mean, who am _I_ , _of all people_ , to judge?

“It should,” Jake insists. “I mean for _me_. I’ve got no idea what you two are hiding, but I doubt you two are as bad as me. The thing is…sometimes in the military, you see things you wish you could forget. And other times, you see things you were _supposed_ to forget.”

“You don’t have to tell us anything, Jake,” Quinn assures. “I can respect not wanting to dig up bad memories.”

“Thanks, Quinn,” Jake nods gratefully. “Thanks…” 

* * *

When I get back to my room, I don’t bother going right to sleep, even though we agreed to leave at first light. My heart’s beating too fast with adrenaline to rest, even though I know I should.

We have a way to contact the mainland and send for help.

This crazy nightmare might actually be over.

I keep pacing around my room, and I hear Furball purring and running across the suite.

Stepping onto the balcony, I look to my right. I can see the volcano, smoking like a rocky chimney.

I remember the sea of boiling magma from my vision, the man with the lion mask…

…ugh. Forget it.

Dammit…what do these visions mean?

I push the thoughts out of my head. They don’t matter.

Soon, _nothing_ about this island will matter.

The volcano peeks past the trees and touches the night sky, and stars frame that part of its form.

This sky…it’s the same one I’m always under. The one I walked under back at Hartfeld, and the one I’m under now.

The sky I’m looking at connects me to my old life. To anywhere in the world.

For some reason, this thought fills me with hope. And for the first time since we got back from the sabretooth encounter, I don’t feel so afraid anymore.

I truly, honestly believe that I might be able to go back home.

Yeah…definitely…

We’re _all_ gonna get back home-

_-huh?!_

That’s when I feel it. The shiver up my spine, a weird sensation going through my whole body.

I keep staring at where the volcano’s top meets the stars.

I feel Furball nuzzle my leg, whimpering slightly as though sensing my discomfort.

Weird…this feels exactly like when I went to get the towels at the party…

My whole body stiffens.

“Is someone _watching_ me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter, I integrated Quinn and Jake's dialogue from the option of going to the beach in chapter 6 of book 1.
> 
> Also, for any Danganronpa fans out there, the ending of this chapter is based on the ending scene of chapter 1 of Danganronpa 2.


	22. La Huerta Island Theater: Expedition

They say that it’s the journey that matters, not the destination.

I say that’s horseshit.

Even if you don’t know how to get there, you still have a goal in mind. The intent of reaching the destination is what initiates the journey.

It could be at the end of a long, complex fantasy questline worthy of TV shows, books, and a visual novel series.

Or maybe you can find it through a weird and new matchmaking service slash sex-robot company!

Maybe even through rushing to find someone to marry to fulfill your late granny’s last wishes and score some big bucks!

All journeys are full of twists and turns. A simple, executive assistant could become the protector and savior of a whole city! You could be a waitress one day, and a potential queen the next!

Or you could get shot.

Or forced to face the truth of a sibling’s death that you suppressed because the guilt consumed you.

Am I being too specific?

You… _all_ of you, came to this island to find something. And none of you have found it.

Not once. Not twice. Not even two-thousand times.

It’s like being forced to watch the same episode of a boring Netflix show over and over again.

Sometimes, when you find what you’ve been looking for, you start a new journey just to keep things interesting.

Or, maybe you’re in a situation where you’re spending eternity on an island paradise with no other purpose than to laze around and party without the need to move forward.

But what are the odds of _that_ happening?

Wink!


	23. The Mission

The roaring of the crowd fills my ears.

“Omaha!” I hear the quarterback yell through his helmet. “Ninety-six double!”

At the weekend of freshmen orientation, the stadiums are packed. Diego sits next to me.

Through the cheering around me, I’m able to hear my new roommate somehow.

“Man, if _every_ game around here ends like an inspirational sports movie, I might actually have to keep showing up!”

I gotta admit, even if football isn’t my thing, Diego’s energy is almost infectious enough to make me enjoy being here.

“Go team go!” I shout deliriously into the sky, barely a whisper compared to all the other fifty thousand voices.

I see there’s only seven seconds left on the clock.

The quarterback surveys the opposing team’s defense and taps the shoulder of his left tackle. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but the left tackle looks fired up.

“Hut-hut… _hut!_ ”

Everything that happens after is like a force of nature.

Massive bodies collide, and it almost looks like boulders falling on each other.

The quarterback sprints left. The opposing team’s linebacker and free safety race toward him for a tackle.

The left tackle then pancakes the linebacker into the safety. He pumps his fists, and looks around for the quarterback, only to see him run the other way on his own.

Stiff-arming a cornerback, the quarterback hurdles a linebacker, nothing deterring him from getting to the goal line.

A defender blindsides the quarterback in mid-air, and-

“Come find me, Cain.”

That voice…

…that’s not Diego, but it’s right next to me…and it’s familiar…

“What?” I turn to the seat at my right, and…

…a girl is sitting in Diego’s place, wearing a neon blue hoodie over a white tank top, and through her brown bangs, I can see her right eye has a scar over it.

…I…I _know_ her…

…but from where…?

Suddenly, I notice everything is silent. I look around, and the entire stadium is empty, except for the girl and me.

“Come find me…”

Her voice echoes through my being, and it’s like a curtain is torn off the world around us, revealing…

…a jungle.

We’re in… _La Huerta…_

And I remember.

“Estela?! What’s going on-”

Vines immediately come up from behind Estela, wrapping around her, dragging her away into the bushes.

All of a sudden, I feel _terrified_.

“ _Wait! Estela! No!_ ”

The ferns swallow her, and I feel something on my shoulder.

Something’s growling behind me.

I can feel it…oh my god.

Wake up…

…wake up…

_WAKE UP_

With a scream, I snap awake.

It was all just a dream.

I feel something furry next to me, and I’m a second away from screaming until my lungs give out, but I sigh in relief as I see blue fur.

Furball whimpers.

“Don’t worry, Furball,” I immediately hug the blue fox. “It was just a…just a dream…”

A dream.

Like the one I had on the plane.

And the vision I had in the lobby and ballroom.

Son of a bitch…what the _hell_ is up with this place?

Furball nuzzles next to me, and the chill of his fur is welcome against my cold sweat.

I look outside, and it’s still dark. The digital clock on my nightstand reads 5:23.

Getting out of bed, with Furball still in my arms, I go over to the balcony and gaze out the window.

“Estela’s been gone for two days now,” I say. “I hope she’s okay…”

The memory of watching her getting dragged away by the vines in my dream makes me shudder.

Come on, get a hold of yourself. The file said she has the skills to achieve her goals…whatever that means.

She’s got to be okay.

“I don’t think I’ll be getting much sleep,” I set Furball down. “And it’ll be daylight soon anyway. Up for a walk?”

Furball purrs happily.

I put some pants on, and we both walk down the halls. I’m not headed anywhere in particular, just trying to walk off my tired mind.

Suddenly, I hear a rustling coming from a door I just passed. I stop and turn back, seeing that it’s ajar.

I open the door slowly, and I see Sean zipping up a backpack.

“Sean?”

He looks at me, the forlorn look on his face turns to surprise.

“Hey…”

“Uh…where are you going at this hour? I’m guessing you’re not hitting the gym,” I joke, but I get a creeping suspicion of what’s really going on.

Sean looks at the floor, refusing to meet my eyes.

“I’m going to the observatory, Cain. I’m gonna try to call for help with the satellite uplink,” Sean looks at me again, resolute. “And I’m going _alone._ ”

Grabbing his bag, Sean tries to pass me, but I immediately block the doorway.

“Sean, think about this-”

“I already have. And I made my decision.”

“But _why?_ Why would you risk going alone?”

“I don’t want anybody else getting hurt,” Sean clenches his jaw and looks to his side. “Better to just…to get this done by myself.”

Dammit, I need to reason with him. Before he endangers his own life.

“Sean, this is too important to rely on one person.”

“I know…but it’s risky too. I can do this. And there’s no reason for more of us to be in danger.”

“Yesterday, you were pissed because nobody was doing their part,” I say gently. “And now you’re trying to take on the whole load by yourself?”

Sean looks like he wants to say something, but I beat him to it.

“Why not let people help if they want to?”

Sean turns around and looks through his suite window. We can both see the Mount Atropo in the distance, silhouetted by the light of the rising sun.

I hear him sigh.

“Alright Cain. You can call the play.”

I smile at him.

“I’m not the best with football references, but that much I get.”

Sean gives a small laugh.

“I’m glad you came by actually,” he says. “I wanna apologize for snapping at you yesterday morning. You were just trying to keep things from escalating, but I didn’t listen.”

“ _That?_ Sean, really, it’s fine-”

“No, it’s not,” he says firmly. “I let my anger get the better of me and I took it out on you when you didn’t even _do_ anything wrong. There’s no excuse for that.”

“You’re not perfect, okay?” I hold my hands up calmingly. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up over every single mistake. And at least you _know_ what you did wrong and owned up to it.”

“Yeah,” Sean says quietly. He appears distant for a second, but the nods at me gratefully. “So you had trouble sleeping?”

“Yup. I decided to walk Furball until we have to go.”

“Well, did you get any sleep?” he asks. “Because we’re planning on making a beeline for the observatory, and it’s gonna be a pretty long, exhausting beeline.”

“I’m good. I just need a while to shake it off. Some coffee and I’ll be ready to jog all the way there!”

“Well, since you’re awake, want me to help you pack? I got some supplies down at the gift shops.”

“They have survival kits and stuff in the _gift shop_ of a luxury resort?”

“Actually, yeah. They probably wanted the guests to feel like they were on an _Indiana Jones_ level adventure while eating at a five star restaurant.”

I can hear bitterness in his voice.

“Hey, on the bright side, _we_ can use them for free. And we’re the ones who really need them.”

“I guess so,” Sean chuckles.

We leave Sean’s room, and make our way to the elevators.

“Hey, Cain? Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Two days ago, when you were getting patched up, what did you mean when you said Diego’s a better friend than you deserve?”

My feet almost stop when he asks that.

“What…makes you ask that?”

Sean keeps looking at me, but doesn’t answer.

“He’s…Diego’s just a great friend!” I say, my calm fading. “Why…?”

“I mean…it just sounded like you actually _meant_ it. That you don’t deserve him as a friend. What I don’t get is why you’d think that.”

We’re at the elevator, and I press the lobby button.

“Look…no offense, but it’s not something I wanna talk about.”

Sean nods.

“Understandable. It’s just that…when you said it, you had this sad and angry look in your eyes.”

“You think I’m ‘smad’ at Diego?” I try to joke.

But Sean doesn’t laugh.

“I think you were sad and angry at _yourself_.” 

* * *

In a few hours, the sun is up, and we’re all at the hotel’s entrance.

Almost everyone’s carrying a bag with them, the only people who aren’t are Diego, Quinn, Raj, Jake, and Aleister. I have my messenger bag full of supplies tied closely to my back, strapped to it a small sleeping bag.

Craig’s mouth stretches as widely as it can as he lets out a yawn.

“This is way too early to wake up after a meal like last night.”

“Seriously,” Raj rubs his eyes tiredly. “I need at least 14 to 18 more hours of sleep before this food coma wears off.”

“So,” Zahra’s groans. “Either I’m incredibly hungover or I’m dying. Take your pick.”

“Guys, it’s early,” Sean says beside me. “But we’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

I nod.

“We know where to go and what to do to contact the mainland and call for rescue.”

“I know we voted to stay in the hotel, but that was when we had no apparent way off the island. We’ve got our ticket outta here now, and it’s not far.”

“It’s about seven miles away,” Lila says. “Through the rainforest, over a mountain pass, and then up the side of the volcano. So about four to five hours to get there, and that long to get back. We should be back here within the day!”

“Look guys, I’m not gonna lie,” I frown a bit. This is going to be extremely dangerous. We’ve been over the risks.”

“Cain!” Lila hisses. “Are you _trying_ to frighten everyone?”

“Everyone deserves to know what they’re getting into,” I insist.

“Cain’s right,” Sean agrees. “It’s safer for everyone here. If I go now, I can get back well before nightfall. We don’t need more than one person to go.”

Zahra scoffs.

“Do you even know _how_ to operate a satellite uplink?”

“Do you…?”

“I’ll let the FBI answer that one. I’m coming. Otherwise the trip will be a waste of time.”

“I’ll go too,” Grace steps forward, a determined look in her eyes replacing the usual shyness.

“You will?” Aleister asks, surprised.

Grace nods.

“I interned at a Hawaiian observatory sophomore year. I might be able to help you find your way around.”

Sean studies her for a moment.

“Grace, are you sure?”

“Yeah, she’s sure,” Craig steps up beside her, crossing his arms. “And I’m coming too.”

“Wait a sec,” Diego speaks up. “Since when do _you_ want to help leave the island?”

“Since my bro Sean decided on this craziness,” his eyes turn steel. “I’m coming to clear the way for you, on _and_ off the field, dude. Always.”

Sean smiles, and I swear I see his eyes glisten.

“Thanks man…”

“Well then,” Michelle steps forward too. “I guess I’m going.”

“Great!” I smile. “I know you’ll be a big help.”

She scowls.

“Sarcasm isn’t clever Cain-”

“Hey, I mean it!” I hold my hands up in surrender. “You’re pre-med, right? That’ll be a lifesaver in a place like this.”

“Oh…” Michelle shifts awkwardly. “Thanks then.”

“You _sure_ you don’t wanna hang back?” Sean asks skeptically.

“Cain believes in me,” she snaps. “Why don’t you, Sean?”

“Well it looks like we have our group!” Lila says happily. “Excellent! Gather your things, we leave in five minutes!”

Lila walks away, and Zahra steps beside me.

“Yo,” she nods towards Lila. “Ditch the hummingbird.”

“Wait, _what?_ ”

“Ditch Lila. I don’t want her to come with us. She worships Rourke and his whole company. Whatever happened here, it’s bad news for them. And if she was put in a position where she had to choose between us and Rourke, I’ll give you one guess. Hint: it’s not us.”

I let the words sink in for a moment.

Zahra’s makes sense…but would Lila _really_ turn against us? I mean, she’s been nothing but kind and helpful-

Okay…I, of all people, should know that anyone can fake being that nice.

“Plus,” Zahra goes on. “Nobody is ever as happy as she is naturally. _Nobody._ ”

I nod grimly.

“I’ll take care of it.”

On cue, Lila skips towards us, carrying a bag.

“Hiya, guys! All set?”

“Actually, Lila,” I say gently. “I need you to stay here with the others.”

“What?!” she gasps. “Why?”

“Because I need you to figure out Rourke’s password.”

“Rourke’s password?” she parrots.

“Yeah, nobody has any idea what it is. You work for Rourke, you know him better than any of us. If anyone has a chance of figuring it out, it’s you.”

Her face lights up.

“Yeah! Maybe I can! I’ll go work on that right away!”

Lila turns and races inside.

“Pretty manipulative,” Zahra smirks, still beside me. “I misjudged you. Seriously though, you really think she can guess the password?”

I shake my head.

“I don’t think _anyone_ is figuring it out any time soon.”

Raj walks up and hands both of us several brown paper bags.

“I packed a bag of lunches,” he explains. “It’s leftovers from the feast. Something to remember me by.”

“Thanks,” Sean puts his food in his own bag. “But we’ll just be gone for ten hours, dude.”

“Exactly. Way too long. Make sure you take lunch breaks often. Can’t brave a treacherous jungle on an empty stomach!”

Diego walks up to me.

“Last chance to back out,” his smile is strained.

“Thanks,” I smile comfortingly. “But I already packed. It’s gonna be a pain to unpack everything.”

Diego sighs, and the pats my shoulder.

“Be, uh…be careful out there, alright, Cain? Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I take offense to that,” I smirk.

“I’m _serious_. The trip alone is probably gonna be dangerous enough. Don’t put yourself on the line, okay?”

“Alright, alright. I’ll be back before you know it. And when we get home, we’ll celebrate with a binge-watch of every Marvel movie ever made.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

“Grace,” I hear Aleister stammer a bit, standing in front of Grace. “Don’t…er, uh…don’t perish…”

“Okay,” Grace smiles knowingly. “I’ll try not to perish.”

She immediately hugs Aleister, who awkwardly pats her back.

Diego and I snicker.

A hand touches my arm, and I turn to see Quinn.

“Be careful out there, okay, Cain? Don’t pull any stupid heroics.”

“I’ll be careful,” I assure her. “I promise.”

I hear Jake call out, and we both look over to him sitting on a bench nursing a coffee.

“Good luck not getting killed!” he gives a salute.

Furball is immediately beside him, and breathes a blast of cold mist on his coffee, freezing it solid.

“Hey! Jokes on you, Elsa! I _like_ my coffee iced.”

Laughing, I wave goodbye at him.

Diego and Quinn give me one last goodbye before I join the group. I see Sean off to the side, surveying everyone and looking apprehensive.

“What’s wrong?” I go up beside him.

Sean sighs.

“I guess I’m still a bit worried about going in a group this big.”

“But I thought you’d be glad they’re trying to help out now.”

“True,” Sean turns to me, then back at the group regretfully. “But we were safe in the hotel then. Nobody’s _life_ was on the line. All that’s different now.”

“Yeah,” I can agree with that, but it’s not like we have a lot of options. “But don’t you trust us to take care of ourselves?”

“Honestly? No,” Sean says bluntly. “I mean, none of us have ever been in a mess like _this_ before. And maybe it’s overconfidence talking, but I wasn’t worried about going alone. But a group this big? We’ll need someone with a few survival skills.”

He looks past me, and I see Jake wrestling with Furball over the coffee mug.

“Jake?” I ask.

“The guy annoys the hell outta me,” Sean shrugs. “But he’s got more training than the rest of us combined. He won’t listen to _me_ , but maybe he’ll listen to _you_.”

“So you want me to sweet-talk Jake into coming with us?”

“Basically,” Sean laughs.

“I’ll see what I can do, then,” I smirk as I jog back to the hotel’s entrance.

“Get back here you little shit-” Jake’s chasing Furball and stops when he sees me coming. “Oh, howdy, Boy Scout. Lemme guess, you want me to sign up for your little Suicide Squad.”

“More or less,” I shrug.

“Does Captain America know you’re asking me to crash his party?”

“Actually,” I give a small grin. “He’s the one who wanted me to ask you.”

Jake laughs.

“You’re a bad liar, you know that? You could’ve just say you were gonna miss me.”

“I could have…but like you said, I’m a bad liar.”

“Huh. Guess I walked into that one,” Jake looks back at Furball, who still has his coffee mug between his jaws. “Fine. Why the hell not? Let’s go climb an active volcano!”


	24. The Footprint

Jake, his green jacket tied around his waist, wipes sweat off his forehead.

“Hotter than a Turkish bath out here,” he mutters.

“Just _how_ many Turkish baths have you been in?” I ask.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Jake smirks.

“I’d like to know if you ever stop complaining.”

“Not ever. Part of my charm.”

“Didn’t know you _had_ any of that.”

“Hey,” Sean, at the front of the group, turns and calls out. “How about we break to eat?”

“Hell yeah,” Craig nods. “The Craig-mobile needs some fuel.”

“And with that,” Zahra rolls her eyes. “You’ve just leveled up in your moron skill-”

Suddenly, Grace _shrieks._

We turn to her, and she’s throwing her bag of food on the ground.

“Grace, what is it?” I ask, hurrying to her side.

“Everything’s all…moldy!”

“Wait, _what?_ ” Craig reaches down, picks up a plastic wrapped sandwich, and immediately drops it, recoiling. “Aw, gross!”

Furball sniffs the food, and paws at his nose as though to get rid of the scent.

I lean down to look, and true enough, I can see splotches of fuzzy, white and grey mold on the food through the plastic wrapping.

“What the hell?!” I open my own bag of food, and it’s no better. “We just _left!_ This food’s not even a day old! How can it get so moldy?”

“I know it’s humid,” Sean wrinkles his nose as he examines his own bag of food. “But still, there’s no way that’s possible.”

“Whelp,” Jake shrugs. “I guess that’s a no-go on the lunch break.”

“Hell naw,” Craig shakes his head furiously. “No way I’m making it another eight hours of hiking without food in me, bro!”

“Maybe we’ll find something at the observatory,” I offer. “One way or another, we gotta keep going, guys.”

“I’d avoid berries or fruit,” Michelle warns. “There’s no telling which ones are poisonous or not. And this island’s _way_ too weird.”

With that, we continue on.

Between Craig’s complaining, and Zahra and Michelle complaining about Craig’s complaining, the birds chirping and insects buzzing make a lively chorus.

Jake and I are side by side again, at the back of the group, with Sean at the front. Michelle and Craig are close behind Sean. Behind them and in front of us are Zahra and Grace.

About half an hour in, Sean falls back beside me.

“Hey, Cain,” he starts. “Thanks for convincing me to stick with the team. You did a lot to keep us all together,” he pauses for a second. “But you gotta understand, I wasn’t doing it to be the hero. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, of course,” I reply.

I mean, it never even _occurred_ to me that Sean would go and risk his life for such a petty reason.

Why would he think that I’d think that? Was he ever accused of that in the past or something?

“Good,” Sean nods at me, looking solemn.

“Besides,” I smile to lighten the mood. “From what I hear, you’re already a hero back home.”

Sean sighs.

“That’s all media exaggeration. Newspapers need a narrative, but that’s not the real me.”

We walk in an awkward silence for a bit.

“So what’s the reason you wanted to go it alone?”

“It’s just…” Sean says hesitantly. “Just how I’ve _always_ been. My whole life, I’ve been taught that the only person you can really count on is yourself.”

My mind goes back to Sean’s file, about the end of his father’s career and his bad investments.

The phrase ‘Family’s hopes ride on Sean’ echoes in my mind.

“That’s the way I play, too,” he continues. “I have great teammates, but when things go bad, I scramble, improvise, and when it’s just me, that’s when I feel most at ease. I don’t have to worry about anyone else getting hurt.”

“Yup,” Craig turns to us, looking a bit sad. “That’s Sean Gayle for ya. Always going it alone. Even to the draft…”

“Craig, what are you talking about?” Sean asks incredulously. “You’re a top prospect. We’re gonna get drafted by the same team and live it up!”

Craig sighs.

“You almost sound like you believe that…”

“And you don’t?” I ask.

“Why would he?” Michelle scoffs bitterly. “Why would he trust anything Sean says? He just ends up leaving everyone behind.”

“I hope you’re not talking about yourself, Michelle,” Sean snaps. “Because I _really_ don’t think you’re qualified to talk about _trust._ ”

We all fall into another awkward silence.

I remember their conversation…or _fight_ on the security camera.

I shouldn’t judge either of them. I don’t know the whole story, and it’s none of my business anyway.

Zahra laughs out loud.

“That’s what you losers get for believing in human beings! Rule number one of Zahra’s book of life: trust nobody. They only end up betraying you.”

“Hey, I think trust is great,” Jake grins. “So long as it’s other people’s. You just gotta be the one doing the backstabbing.”

“Real healthy outlook there, Jake,” Sean snarks.

“Ain’t it?” Jake smiles sweetly.

“But that’s so sad,” Grace frowns. “Being so scared of getting hurt that you never open up to anyone?”

“What are you talking about?” Zahra asks. “You’re scared of everything! Hell, you cried bloody murder when Raj burped too loud last night!”

“Yes, well,” Grace fiddles with her glasses. “I _am_ scared of heights, snakes, crustaceans… _and_ clowns. _Definitely_ clowns…but not of being _vulnerable_ with someone. Not that I…ever _have_. But I _want_ to.”

“Believe me, Grace,” Michelle shoots her a sympathetic look. “You don’t _ever_ want to put your faith in other people.”

“Sorry, Michelle,” Grace says sadly. “I didn’t want to bring up anything unpleasant for you.”

“Don’t be, just…” Michelle sighs. “I speak from experience, okay?” She shoots a glare at Sean. “I mean, sure, not _everyone’s_ scum. But there are too many people who _are._ ”

“I get that…I mean, I _know_ it’s statistically inevitable that one day I’ll get hurt. But I won’t let that stop me from finding connections with other people. Otherwise, life would just be bleak and dismal.”

I should know better than anyone that there are plenty of people who’ll betray and use you.

But, if I shut myself out, then I’d never have met the best friend I ever had.

And there’s my sister too, of course.

“That’s very brave, Grace,” I nod encouragingly to her.

“Thanks, Cain,” she smiles. “But it’s probably just really idealistic.”

“Hardly. I think you’re right. If you shut yourself out, then you’ll just live a lonely life, and that’s no good for anyone.”

Zahra groans.

“Christ, I think my teeth are gonna rot from all this sappy bull-”

Jake immediately stops, and raises a fist.

“Uh… _what_ is he doing?”

“Is this some sorta protest?”

“No,” Jake hisses. “It’s the ‘stop moving’ signal! Someone’s here, watching us.”

“Wait, what?!”

My mind races, struggling to think of what to do. If we run, then whatever’s watching will start chasing us, and if it’s the sabretooth, there’s no way we can outrun it…

“Guys, get down!” I say in a loud whisper. “Behind those ferns over there!”

Everyone hesitates.

“The hell are you waiting for?” Jake snaps. “You heard him!”

We immediately duck down behind a mess of large ferns.

“Jake,” I keep my voice low. “Where is it?”

“There,” Jake looks ahead.

I follow his gaze…

…there they are.

Two gold eyes.

Oh shit, they’re actually _blinking._

Suddenly, a rush of dream static hits me.

It clears, and…

…I can see _us_.

Our whole group, trying and failing to hide behind the large ferns.

They’re like thoughts…coming in from an outside source.

It’s almost like…

…like I’m seeing _through_ those golden eyes.

“Jake,” I whisper. “It can still see us-”

“No way, it’s too-”

“I’m _serious_. I just _know_ it can see us, okay?”

Jake studies me for a second.

“Is it some kinda animal?” Sean asks, whispering too.

“Maybe it’s just curious,” Grace offers hesitantly.

“Curious about what we taste like,” Jake mutters. “I’m gonna loop around behind it and get the drop on it.”

“I’m coming with you,” I say impulsively, and I can’t really bring myself to think that the decision is a dumb one.

Being on this island’s _really_ bad for my health.

“Suit yourself.”

Jake and I move through the jungle. I follow his lead and step where he steps, darting from behind one tree to the next.

“You’ve done this before?” I ask, still whispering.

“You could say that,” Jake replies.

“How’d you learn?”

“By watching the people hunting me.”

For a second, I’m too stunned to think of a reply.

“Jake…when were you being _hunted?_ ”

“Back during my service,” his face falls. “Everything hit the fan, and suddenly I was on my own…well, not at first…”

“Wha-”

“Point is, if you don’t learn how the people tracking you are doing it, then it’s only a matter of time before they get you.”

We’re close now, to the spot where I saw the gold eyes.

“This is where we saw it,” I say.

“I don’t see it anymore, where’d it go?”

I look around, my eyes darting to every shadow.

My hearts beating, and almost every single oddly shaped branch seems to be some kind of prehistoric nasty, and then…

I’m suddenly watching myself again, from my left side, through someone’s eyes.

“Jake, it’s somewhere to our left,” I say hurriedly.

“You sure?”

“ _Positive._ ”

Jake immediately lunges to my left, pulling apart the ferns.

A pale blue blur flashes into the treetops, faster than any of us can react.

“What the fuck-”

The blur disappears, not leaving a trace it was even there.

“Yeah, you better run!” Jake calls out. He turns to me. “You alright, Cain? Whatever that was, I don’t think it wants any part of us.”

“What the hell even _was_ that thing?! I’ve never seen any animal move like that!”

“Take a look here,” Jake kneels down. “Pretty sure it _wasn’t_ an animal.”

“Is that…”

A footprint.

A very _human_ looking footprint.

Five toes and all.

Jake nods grimly.

“Maybe we’re not alone here after all.” 

* * *

Jake and I make our way back to the group, and soon, we’re back to our hike.

The sky’s almost completely covered by the trees above us. We walk uphill, and continue until the canopy thins…

“Whoa…”

“What in the ever-loving-”

“ _Holy. Shit._ ”

The sky is dark, thousands of stars twinkle, and an almost full moon is shining.

“Okay, _how_ is it nighttime?!” Michelle cries out. “We left at the ass-crack of dawn, and we’ve only been gone for, like, three hours!”

I pull my phone out, and the clock reads 9:02 PM.

“My phone says it’s 9 _PM_. It should be _AM!_ ”

“I am not _nearly_ drunk enough to have lost twelve hours,” Jake runs a hand through his hair.

“Guys, we have to stay focused,” Sean speaks up. “What matters is getting to the observatory, calling for help, getting rescued, and going home. This has to be the mountain pass. Once we get past this, we should be at the volcano.”

Zahra walks over to the edge of the cliff, and kicks a small rock over, watching it drop below.

She grins.

“Hey Grace. Didn’t you say you were scared of heights? Come check this out.”

“What?!” Grace’s eyes go wide, and she immediately moves farther from the ledge. “No way!”

Laughing, Zahra leans over the edge.

“Oh, come on!” she turns back to Grace. “Best way to overcome your fears is to face-”

Suddenly, a huge, red claw rises from behind the cliff, the sharp pincers moving towards Zahra.

“ _Look out!_ ” I shriek.

Zahra looks behind her and sees the claw about to close over her head. She dives forward, and narrowly misses being decapitated.

“ _What the fuck?!_ ”

“ _What is that?!_ ”

The claw is followed by an enormous red shell, and the monster pulls itself onto the cliff, giving us a good look at…

…a giant crab.

I’m staring into eight black eyes, and a hideous, foamy mouth gnashes whatever passes for teeth among crabs.

It snaps its pincers, sending loud _clicks_.

For a moment, I’m frozen in place.

I just _can’t fucking move_.

“There’s no way!” Michelle yells. “I’ve eaten crab before, and crabs are _not_ _that big!_ ”

“I miss the sabretooth!” Craig wails. “I want the sabretooth back!”

The crab’s legs and pincers click as it draws closer to us.

It’s…oh god, it’s moving towards Grace.

The bespectacled girl looks just as terrified as I am, not daring to move.

“Grace, get back!” Sean cries out, running towards her.

Suddenly, a rock hurls at one of the crab’s eyes, making it recoil.

I’m pulled out of my stupor, and I see Jake pick up another rock, and throw it at another eye.

“Hey, Sebastian! There’s more where that came from!”

The crab snaps at Jake, giving time for Sean to pull Grace back and out of the Crab’s reach.

Furball leaps forward, firing a blast of icy mist at one of the crab’s claws.

Ice encases the pincer, and for a moment, hope swells in me, thinking that we can take this freak of nature…

…and then the crab opens its pincer, shattering the ice easily.

“Oh shit.”

Jake throws another rock, but the crab blocks it with a swift move of its claw.

“It’s achieved sentience!”

“That’s not what that means!” Grace cries out.

The crab’s looming closer…

…I can actually see my reflection in all of its eight eyes.

Oh god…this can’t be happening…

…am I seriously gonna die, torn apart and eaten by a crab…?

“Hey, ugly!” Sean shouts, stepping forward with wide arms. “Over here!” He turns briefly back to us. “Run! I’ll lead it away!”

“No dude, what the hell are you doing?!” Craig demands.

“Why do you always have to be the hero, you goddamn idiot?!” Michelle shrieks.

“Because _someone_ has to do _something_ , and I don’t have any better ideas!”

“Looks like _she_ does!”

I turn, and see Zahra looking up.

Following her gaze, I see a shadow passing over the moon…

It’s Estela.

Letting out a fierce cry, she leaps from high up and drives a spear down into the base of one of the crab’s legs.

The crab lets out a bone chilling sound as Estela twists the spearhead and snaps the leg from the crab’s massive body. It staggers back in pain.

“ _Estela!_ ” I call out to her.

“ _Get out of there!_ ” Grace cries.

Estela just squares off the monster, whirling the spear before holding it at the ready as the crab recovers.

“Let’s dance,” Estela growls.


	25. The Beast

Estela dives, avoiding the crab’s massive claw, and rolls around the monster’s side.

She stabs her spear forward, but the crab swipes its claw and knocks it out of her grip.

My heart seizes as Estela barely keeps her balance at the edge of the cliff.

“What the hell are you doing, Katniss?!” Jake shouts. “Move your ass!”

Estela dives forward right as the crab charges at her, vaulting over the beast’s shell.

Grabbing her fallen spear, Estela thrusts it at the crab again…

…but it spins around quickly, and catches the spear between its pincers.

Estela pushes forward, and I realize what she’s doing.

She’s trying to shove the crab off the edge of the cliff.

The crab digs its legs into the earth, and doesn’t budge.

“This chick needs some help!” Zahra yells.

I hear Furball yipping, and suddenly, I have an idea.

“Furball! Freeze the ground, now!”

Frosty mist shoots from the fox’s mouth, and forms a sheet of solid ice right under the crab’s feet.

Estela then forces the spear forward, sliding the crab through the ice, and the monster plummets over the cliff’s edge.

It’s gone.

The crab’s gone.

Estela wipes sweat from her brow, and looks back at me.

“Quick thinking there,” her stoic face immediately turns into an angry scowl. “Now, one of you wanna tell me what the hell you’re doing off the resort grounds?”

For a minute, we’re all silent, afraid of our newfound savior.

I decide to step forward, and tell her what happened.

“We’re calling for help,” I explain, trying to sound calm. “There’s a satellite uplink at the La Huerta observatory. We’re gonna use it to contact the mainland.”

Estela shakes her head.

“You shouldn’t have left. I told you to stay put.”

“This was worth the risk!” I protest.

“Was it? If not for me, you’d be dead right now.”

“But we’re _not_ , are we?”

Estela studies me before answering.

“No. Not yet.”

“Estela,” Grace speaks up. “How did you find us?”

She shrugs.

“Just went towards the sound of you all screaming bloody murder.”

“Fair enough.”

“So, Sarah Connor,” Jake cuts in. “You gonna tell us where you’ve been the last two days-”

“No.”

“Okay, cool. Good talk.”

Estela immediately turns away and heads down towards the rainforest.

“Hey, where are you going?” I call out.

“The crab survived,” she stops and turns her head slightly. “It will be coming for you. I’m going to hunt it down and finish it off. You’re welcome.”

She keeps going forward, and turns to meet my gaze one more time, but doesn’t say a word.

With that, Estela disappears into the thick vegetation.

Almost like…

…the dream I had last night.

“I sure hope Estela can fight that crab all on her own,” Grace clasps her hands nervously.

_Come find me._

Those words…for some reason, they feel like they’re _written_ in dream static…

I think I know what I need to do…

…and dammit, it’s confirming that this island is bad for my health.

“You guys keep going,” I tell the others. “I’m gonna help her stop the crab.”

“Dude, _seriously?_ ” Craig hollers. “You’re gonna go _looking_ for that thing?!”

“She saved us from it once. I won’t let her do it again without help.”

Furball trots up to me, nudging my leg.

“Wait here with the others, little guy,” I pet his head. “I’ll be right back.”

The fox purrs.

“Cain…” Jake frowns. “Are you sure about this? At least let me come with.”

“Sorry, but Estela’s going to be mad enough one person came after her. If we both go, she’ll send us packing.”

Jake sighs.

“Just…just be careful, okay?”

I give an assuring grin.

“You know me, I’ve got this!”

“Good luck out there, Cain,” Sean says. “Catch up with us if you can.”

“Will do,” I nod, doing my best to sound confident.

“Oh!” Craig speaks up. “Ask her if she can get us some food? My stomach is growling something _fierce_ right now!”

“At least it’s probably scaring off other predators,” Michelle smirks.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I chuckle. 

* * *

I do my best to follow the path I saw Estela go down. I hope she isn’t too far ahead.

Jogging quickly, I run past a tree, I see a whirl of blue in the dark…

…and suddenly, from behind a tree, Estela jumps out and stabs her spear right at me.

“ _Cain?!_ ”

Yelping, I fall back, the tip of the spear stopping just inches from my stomach.

“Hey,” I give an awkward wave.

“I almost _killed_ you! Why did you follow me?!”

“Because…I, uh…dreamt that you told me to…”

Okay, honestly, telling her about the dream went a lot better in my head.

But now, saying it aloud makes me sound like a mental case.

Estela doesn’t look skeptical though.

“You…dreamt about me?”

She looks more shocked than anything else. Oh god, I hope she’s not taking this in a weird way.

“You were in the jungle, telling me to come find you,” I get up, and scratch the back of my neck. “I know, it’s weird. But that’s just it! The minute I got on the island, I’ve been having these crazy dreams. I dreamt of Sean and Jake, and I never even _seen_ them before coming here! And…I can’t put my finger on it, but these dreams are too vivid to be _just_ dreams… they’re…more like-”

“Memories,” Estela finishes. “I’ve been having dreams like that too.”

“Wait, _really?_ ” I gape at her, hope rising in my chest.

Maybe I’m not crazy after all.

But what does this say about the dreams? What do they mean?

“Yeah,” Estela continues. “One about you, actually.”

“You dreamt about me too? What happened in it?”

“We were adrift in this…underground lake,” Estela frowns. “It was glowing blue with algae, lighting up the cavern’s walls. You then took my hand, and we-” she then stops abruptly, and turns her head away. She fiddles with a loose strand of hair that covers most of her face. “Uh, then I woke up. It…it doesn’t mean a damn thing.”

“I…I guess,” I laugh sheepishly. “I have no idea what _any_ of these dreams mean.”

We stand in an awkward silence for a while.

“Listen, Estela, I’m not going anywhere,” I insist. “I want to help.”

“You’re stubborn, aren’t you?”

I shrug.

“Could say the same about you.”

“Well,” Estela sighs. “If you’re just gonna stand there until you turn into a tree, then I guess you might as well come with me. But keep close”

Following her, I try to keep my footsteps as quiet as I can. Estela’s movements are pretty much soundless.

I make sure to look all around me, eyes darting towards the source of any sound.

We go on for a while, and faster than I can react, I feel a sharp pain on my neck, like two needles sink into it.

I cry out, covering the spot on my neck with my hand.

“What’s wrong?” Estela stops and turns sharply to me.

“I don’t know, something…bit…”

Then, the entire world begins to blur, and my limbs tingle and begin to numb. I try to speak, but all that comes out is a garbled moan.

My knees buckle, and I can feel Estela catch me before I fall.

“Cain!” her voice sounds so far away…

I can mildly feel myself laid down on the mossy ground.

Her blurry form moves over me and leans close.

“Dammit, you were bitten by a snake!”

Estela speaks, and she sounds like she’s getting farther away…

I groan. Everything’s getting too fuzzy for me to feel scared.

“Cain, I’m gonna suck the venom out, okay?”

I feel Estela’s lips pressing on my neck, and among the growing numbness, I can feel… _warmth._

Her weight moves to rest on top of me, I can feel her hands cradle my head as her mouth moves against my neck.

I gasp, and the feeling of Estela’s mouth on my skin leave as I hear her spit away the venom.

“Come on, Cain, stay with me.”

I’m barely able to keep my eyes open. The whole scene before me is swirling, like a picture melting and twisting away.

I feel…so… _tired…_

“ _Cain…_ ”

That voice…I know that voice…

“ _Cain…_ ”

It’s not Estela…it’s…it’s…

“Cain!” This time, it _is_ Estela calling my name. “Focus on my voice.”

It feels like trying to stay still in a whirlpool…

…but I keep my focus on Estela. Her voice and her presence.

Suddenly, my vision starts to clear, and my senses and feeling is coming back.

“There you are,” I can see Estela’s smiling face form above me from the blurriness. “Stay with me. You’re coming back.”

She caresses my face, and pretty soon, my senses are back to normal.

The jungle is back around me, like it just was.

I gasp again, and I’m able to speak clearly.

“I think I’m okay.”

Estela nods.

She’s smiling that same cute smile that reaches her eyes, and it’s like sunshine breaking through clouds.

Okay…is it her hands or my face that’s getting warm?

“I guess you’re tougher than you look.”

“Should I be offended by that…?”

Estela rolls her eyes, but her smile doesn’t fade.

“Come on, funny guy,” she stands up and offers me a hand. I take it, and she pulls me up with impressive strength. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Wrapping an arm around me, Estela steadies my walking. We both move through the jungle…

…into _daylight?_

From the forest, we come to the edge of a mountain ridge.

Off in the distance, we see the sun rising.

“The sun’s rising _already?_ ” I gape at the horizon.

“This place is just weird,” Estela replies. “It’ll save you a lot of time if you just go with it. Here, take a rest for a minute.”

Estela helps me sit down by the cliff’s edge, and she sits beside me. We both watch the sky blaze with orange and red as the sun rises steadily.

“Man,” she breathes. “I’m gonna miss this.”

“The sunrise?” I ask, turning to her. “There’s always another.”

Estela just keeps staring ahead.

“Not for all of us,” she sighs. “Let’s just say, when I came to La Huerta…I didn’t expect to leave a free woman.”

I stare at her, confused.

My mind goes back to her file, mentioning that she will stop at nothing to do something that was seen fit to be redacted.

Is it really _that_ serious? What could Estela be doing that she’s willing to risk everything for?

She turns to me.

“I don’t get you,” she says.

“Shouldn’t that be _my_ line?” I ask.

“No,” Estela scowls. “I mean that you don’t look scared of me.”

And I’m not.

The redacted parts in her file, her mysterious goal, and a threat assessment of ‘ _do not approach!_ ’…

…it’s like Estela and the island are competing for which is more of a dangerous mystery.

But honestly, I just can’t bring myself to fear Estela for some reason.

“Would you rather I was?” I say instead of answering.

Her answer surprises me.

“No…I don’t,” she turns back to the horizon. “But _why?_ Why aren’t you afraid of me when everyone else obviously is?”

I shrug.

“You haven’t given me a reason to be afraid of you,” I say, and smirk. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ll make sure not to piss you off after seeing how you handled that crab.”

“Smart,” Estela doesn’t return the smirk. “But back to my question.”

“I mean, you’ve saved us from the crab. And you’ve saved _me_ twice, not including the crab.”

“The crab could have just been in my way,” she retorts.

“But it wasn’t, was it?” I ask.

Estela doesn’t say anything, so I continue.

“Not to mention you saw us all to the airstrip and back to the resort, even though you weren’t planning on leaving the island or staying at the hotel.”

“Yeah, so?”

“It means, you were worried about us, and wanted to look out for us. That’s not the sign of someone I should be afraid of.”

Estela glares at me.

“I could have just been making sure you were all in one place. So you wouldn’t get in my way.”

I know what she’s trying to do, which is why I don’t cower under her gaze.

…okay, maybe I’m cowering just a _little_ bit…

“Well, _is_ that why?”

Estela turns back to the horizon, silent.

“See?” I smile gently. “You’re obviously a good person if you’re willing to help out complete strangers.”

Estela looks away. When she turns back at me, she looks tired.

“We should probably…” she starts, but her eyes widen in shock. “ _Move!_ ”

Estela pulls me out of the way, and I feel a sharp tugging.

I turn, and a claw reaches from above, tearing the sleeping bag off of my messenger bag.

The crab whips its claw to the side, sending what’s left of the sleeping bag into the jungle below.

I guess I won’t be sleeping tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Le Gaspe! Cain just lost his sleeping bag! Looks like he’ll have no choice but to cuddle with someone tonight!
> 
> Disclaimer: you should NEVER, EVER, EVER suck the venom out of a snake bite. That stuff does not work in real life, and only serves to look badass in movies, or, in ES’s case, be completely adorable.


	26. The Camp

Snapping its pincers, the crab climbs down the rock wall, facing off against us.

Estela immediately steps forward, spear at the ready.

“Cain, get behind me!”

A claw comes forth, but Estela parries it with her spear, and expertly blocks the next flurry of pincer strikes, faster than I’m able to comprehend.

The crab’s advancing, cornering the two of us against the cliff’s edge.

Estela lunges to strike at the crab’s shell, but it just deflects off the hard chitin like the spear is just a toothpick against a rock.

We can’t attack the crab, we can barely defend against it…

This is _not_ friggin’ good.

“I’m barely leaving a scratch on this thing!”

“The armor’s too strong,” I try to even my breathing and focus. There has to be something…

…push the crab off the cliff? No, it could just climb back up, and we couldn’t push it long enough to toss it over and stay alive.

Come on, there has to be…

I look up on the ledge, and I see it.

“Estela, look! On the next ledge up! There’s a boulder! We can drop it on the crab!”

“Hang on,” she grits her teeth, and advances, striking the joints of the crab’s limbs.

The monster recoils, and Estela turns to me.

“Okay, run to me now!”

Without thinking, I do as she says.

At the last second, as I’m about to run into her, Estela turns, dropping the spear, and cups her hands.

“Jump!”

I plant a foot in her grip, and she launches me.

I fly up through the air, and I grab onto the ledge when I’m close enough. Desperately, I scramble up to the top, and I pull my legs up, hearing a loud and close _snap_ of the crab’s claw as I do.

Focus. Don’t think about the crab.

Remember the boulder.

“Hurry!” Estela’s voice reaffirms my thoughts.

I go to the boulder, and begin to push against it. The noise of the crab’s claws fills the air.

I keep pushing…come on… _come on!_

This thing’s too heavy…I need some leverage…

“Estela!” I call down to her. “Throw me your spear!”

“Are you completely insane?!” I hear her shout.

“ _Trust me!_ ”

For a moment, I’m worried she won’t…

…and then I see the spear sailing through the sky above me, and I catch it by the middle of the pole.

I strike the blunt end of the spear underneath the boulder, and I pull down with all my might…

…I almost laugh as the rock starts budging.

I keep pulling the spear, and it finally falls.

Below, I hear a mighty _thud_ , followed by the sound of chitin breaking and meat being squished.

I look down from the edge, and I see Estela, standing before the crushed beast.

We did it.

We actually fucking did it.

She looks up to me, and a wide smile breaks across her face.

“Quick thinking there. I’m actually impressed.”

Estela helps me down from the ledge, and I can’t take my eyes off the remains of the crab underneath the boulder.

“I can’t believe that actually worked,” I marvel when I’m on the ground.

“Yeah,” she turns to me. “I think human history would argue that smashing things with rocks has pretty much always worked.”

I laugh, but Estela’s face grows angry.

Uh oh.

“But we almost got _killed_ , Cain. We almost got killed because I want thinking about _you_ instead of watching my surroundings.”

“Hey! How is this _my_ fault?” I ask defensively.

Estela shakes her head.

“That’s just it. It’s _my_ fault. You're a distraction, plain and simple. And…I just _can't_ afford to have any distractions right now.”

“But we _succeeded_ ,” I point out. “We killed that thing, _and_ we both survived in the process! Things worked out, so-”

“I can’t do this,” Estela snaps. “I don’t have the time, _or_ the margin of error to…to…”

“To _what?_ ”

“To _care about you_ , okay?!”

Oh…

…okay then.

I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly, trying desperately to think of something to relieve the tension…

“Well, next time we fight a giant crab, lobster, crawfish, _whatever_ , let’s just bring a pot of boiling water and Chef Gordon Ramsay. Every crustacean’s least favorite combo.”

Estela looks at me like I’m an idiot…

…probably _am_ , if that’s the best I can come up with…

She lets out a small laugh.

“Not a bad idea,” she chuckles, gazing at the crab’s corpse. Estela then frowns. “What’s this thing?”

Going over to the crab, she pulls out something from its shell.

She shows it to me.

“An _arrowhead?_ ”

A pointed arrow made of golden-red crystal is tied to a broken stick with a fine cord.

“So we’re not the first people to tangle with that thing,” I say. Nobody uses arrowheads anymore, so it must be ancient.

Jesus, how old was this damn crab?

“Is this made of some sort of amber?” I ask.

Estela shakes her head.

“Looks like it, but it can’t be. That shell was hard enough to block my spear, but not this? It must be _way_ stronger than amber. Whatever this is, it’s gotta be stronger than anything I’ve seen.”

Estela pockets the arrowhead, and turns to me.

“Well, this crab won’t be causing your little wilderness safari any more problems. Let’s get you back to them.”

“Yeah, and thanks,” I nod gratefully at her. Then, I remember Craig’s request. “Actually, before I forget, did you have any food? We lost ours on the way.”

Estela thinks for a moment, and then she turns to the crab’s body. Then back to me.

“I might have an idea.” 

* * *

After a while, I’m headed through the forest, looking for the others.

“There!” I see Sean come out from behind some ferns. “Cain’s back!”

“You’re okay!” Grace follows Sean, beaming.

The two run up to me and tackle me with a hug.

When I’m free from Sean and Grace, Jake materializes and pulls me into a chokehold, noogieing my head.

“ _That’s_ for these brats dragging me across the jungle looking for your ass!”

“Um, Jake, _you’re_ the one who said we should go,” Grace snickers.

“So? Cap seconded it,” Jake frees me. “‘Sides, you’d never let us hear the end of it if we left you to bail of outta danger.”

“Ha!” Craig slaps me on the back, probably harder than he intended. “I totally would’ve bet you were dead! Mad respect!”

Furball runs up to me, jumping into my arms.

“I missed you too buddy,” I laugh as he nuzzles into me.

“So?” Zahra asks. “You kick some crusty crustacean ass or not?”

“And,” Michelle cuts in hopefully. “I don’t suppose you found any food?”

“As a matter of fact,” I grin. “Yes and yes.”

I lead them back to where I can from, and soon we’re in front of Estela, surrounded by several huge crab legs wrapped in leaves.

“Anyone wanna help me build a campfire?” she smirks.

“Whoa!” Craig gapes. “Now _that’s_ what I’m talking about!”

“Okay, I officially take back what I said about never eating crab again,” Michelle asserts.

“ _This_ is a philosophy worth living by,” Zahra grins. “‘If something fucks with you, eat it.’”

Soon, we’re stuffing ourselves full of crab meat. The sky miraculously sped to nighttime again, and _somehow_ , while I went with Estela to fight the crab, it _stayed_ dark for the others.

I guess I better start following her advice and just roll with it.

Craig let’s out a loud burp.

“ _Hands down_ , the best crab I ever had in my life, dude.”

“Seriously, Estela,” Michelle nods. “You’re the best.”

“I _still_ can’t believe you managed to beat that thing,” Grace marvels.

“Actually,” Estela looks at me. “It was mostly Cain. I just helped a little.”

“No way,” Zahra’s jaw drops. “For real?”

“Uh,” my cheeks heat up. “You’re exaggerating…”

“I’m not,” Estela replies plainly. “It was your idea to drop a boulder on it. My spear didn’t even put a dent in that thing.”

“Well, well, well,” Jake smirks. “Not too shabby, Boy Scout.”

“And you kept saying _I_ had to be the hero,” Sean nods at me.

“ _Really!_ ” I hold my hands up. “I didn’t do anything Estela couldn’t- _ow!_ ”

Michelle’s seriously pinching my cheek.

“Aw, look, he’s blushing!”

“Just shut it and take the compliment,” Estela laughs, shaking her head as Michelle releases me.

“Guess I didn’t know I had it in me,” I laugh awkwardly.

“I did,” Sean says earnestly.

Oh god, my face could probably light a match right now.

We spend some more hours talking and laughing, and I feel like I did back at Raj’s feast. Like I wasn’t just playing a part or wearing a mask, but like I really _belong_.

“So Cain,” Craig starts. “I gotta ask! How is it you’ve never even heard of Sean before? I mean, you’d hafta be living under a rock not to know who he is!”

“Craig,” Sean frowns. “I said it wasn’t a big deal-”

“It’s alright,” I smile sheepishly. “I know what he means. And…to be honest…I just don’t like football. Like… _at all._ ”

“Ouch,” Jake laughs. “Try to spare their feelings at least.”

“No harm done,” Sean chuckles. “It’s actually kinda refreshing.”

“But still, you had to at least have _heard_ about him,” Michelle says.

“See…the thing is, I…used to pretend to like football to fit in with people,” I sigh. “But eventually, I just got sick of it, and ended up avoiding it religiously,” my face heats up in shame. “I know, it’s kinda shallow of me-”

“Hey, relax,” Sean smiles reassuringly. “I know what you mean. You’re a good guy, Cain.”

I smile back, grateful.

“But it wasn’t always like that, huh?” Michelle asks. “I get the feeling you weren’t always this nice.”

Most of the others look at her incredulously, and Michelle flushes.

“Never mind,” She says hurriedly. “Forget it, it’s none of my-”

“No, it’s okay. And you’re right,” I keep my gaze on the fire. “Honestly…if any of you met my high school self, you’d wanna punch me right in the face.”

“I…I doubt you were that bad,” Grace assures me.

I don’t answer her.

Truth be told, I’m not sure why I’m confiding in them like this.

I mean, after officially becoming friends with Diego, it still took me a whole year to be able to open up to him about my past.

So _why_ am I saying all this to a bunch of people I’ve only known for a few days?

“Don’t be too rough on yourself,” Jake speaks up. “People do things they ain’t proud of.”

Sean nods.

“You’re different from then now. And that’s what matters.”

“Seriously,” Zahra scoffs. “When I first met you, I thought you were some boring goodie-two-shoes.”

“My point is that _no one’s_ ever the same person they were several years ago.”

“Yeah!” Craig says. “I mean, I doubt high-school-you could kick a giant crab’s ass like you did!”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I smile gratefully.

And it’s not like I’m _not_ grateful…

…but I can’t bring myself to believe them.

“Well,” Sean says after a while. “It’s still dark out, and the rest of the climb looks dangerous. Why don’t we rest up a little before pushing forward?”

“Hell yeah!” Craig approves. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

Everyone pulls out their sleeping bag. I reach for my own…

…ah crap.

That damn crab ripped up my sleeping bag.

“At least it wasn’t your leg,” I turn to see Estela smirking, her own sleeping bag ready.

A cold breeze blows by, and I shiver.

Estela keeps looking at me, and then slips into her sleeping bag.

“Come on,” she scoots over and makes room.

“Huh?” I ask dumbly.

“You’ll freeze in this weather.”

“Um…” My face warms up.

I want to say no…for _obvious reasons_ …but she has a point.

I mean, there’s no use freezing to death out here…

I lie down beside her, making sure to keep a respectful distance.

She looks at me over her shoulder.

“Are you trying to get warm or not?”

“I, uh…”

I catch her rolling her eyes before she looks away again.

“Come on, already.”

Swallowing nervously, I move closer, pressing my chest to Estela’s back.

When we touch, she shifts closer to me, and…

…okay, I’m smelling her hair.

And I can even feel her _breathing_.

“Good,” I hear her speak. “This should preserve some body heat.”

Lady, with the way I’m blushing right now, I’m a fucking human radiator.

“Heh, yeah,” I laugh nervously, and try to talk about something, _anything_. “Should we really be sleeping? What if something comes and-”

“It won’t happen, Cain,” Estela assures me. “Not on my watch.”

And I believe her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "If something fucks with you, eat it." -Zahra Namazi


	27. La Huerta Island Theater: Deception

Want some fortune cookie logic?

People are _never_ as they seem.

And you, _of all people_ , know what I’m talking about.

And I don’t even mean that different people have different parts of them they only show to those close to them.

I mean that people. _Lie_.

This human, _so disgustingly human_ , desire for comfort from the harsh realities of life is why we lie in the first place, and to ourselves and others.

It’s so much easier for people to never look past the lie.

The lie is simple. The lie is kind. The lie would have you go about your merry way and never give a second thought about it after it’s told.

A celebrity beloved by everyone is so ironic. The brighter the spotlight is, the darker the shadow that superstar will cast.

That sweet, lively soul who’s smiles and laughter can light up a room? You know what they say, for every smile a thousand tears (or something like that)!

Devil-may-care pretty boys can hide a past covered in blood behind those greasy heads.

The most fierce and capable warriors could just as easily be little children crying out for their mothers-

-no need to be so testy! It’s not like I’m saying any specific names!


	28. The Dream

I wake up, and the sunlight hits my eyes all at once.

Okay _ow._ Too bright. And why the hell can’t I close my eyes?

Impulsively, my body stretches, I then get up out of the chair and-

-hold the fucking phone.

The _chair?_ Where did the chair come from?!

I’m…moving…

…I can’t control how I move?!

Around me, I see…

_…I’m at the lobby of the Celestial?!_

What the hell is going on?!

I feel my back crack with a few more stretches, and I suddenly, I feel my lips form a grin when I look at myself in a mirror…

…no…

…not _myself_.

“Lookin’ good Raj!”

I’m…I’m…

“Hey, you too, Raj!”

…I’m _Raj?!_

I… _Raj_ , walks out the hotel, and to the pool.

This is just _disturbing_. It’s like I’m a passenger inside my own body…

…well, _Raj’s_ body.

What kind of crazy dream is this?

Quinn, Diego, and Aleister are at the pool. Quinn’s in the hot tub and Diego’s in a floating pool chair, both of them nursing drinks. Aleister’s pacing around the whole area, and takes frequent sips of tea lying on a nearby table.

“Ya boi Raj in da house!” Raj cries out.

Nobody even looks up.

“Hey,” Raj says softer. “Why’s it so quiet here?”

Diego sighs.

“Just…just worried about Cain and the others, that’s all.”

“Same,” Quinn frowns. “I can’t stop wondering if they’re okay.”

“They’re almost certainly dead,” Aleister snaps, rubbing his forehead. “The fools…”

Okay…this sounds crazy…

…maybe this isn’t all a dream.

As creepy as it sounds…I think I just might be actually _possessing_ Raj.

This…everything in the dream, it’s way too vivid to be _just_ that.

And right now, I’m _feeling_ Raj’s thoughts. The way his heart’s clenching a bit at everyone being upset, and him scanning the area, thinking of a way to cheer them up.

“Trust me guys,” Raj grins widely. “They’re all okay! I guarantee it!”

“But how do you _know_?” Quinn looks dejected.

Now, I’m sensing Raj’s surprise right before I feel him grin again.

“Because I can feel Cain in my head right now!”

_What the actual fuck?!_

“What on earth are you ranting about?”

Raj _knows_ I’m in his head?!

“I’m super serious!” he insists.

“Dude,” Diego rolls his eyes. “How high are you right now? Are you _Harold and Kumar_ high, or like, _Trainspotting_ high?”

Just then, Lila walks by, looking like she’s deep in thought.

“Hey Lila!” Raj greets jovially. “How are you holding up?”

She just keeps pacing, muttering something unintelligible.

“Uh, Lila? Where’ve you been, yo?”

Raj taps her shoulder, and the tour guide practically jumps.

“Oh! Sorry, I’m just…just trying to figure out this gosh-darn password.”

“Any luck?” Diego calls out.

“No,” Lila groans. “I thought I knew Mr. Rourke well enough to guess it, but I was wrong.”

“Don’t worry, Lila,” Quinn smiles comfortingly. “I’m sure we’ll find the answers eventually.”

Just then, I can feel the determination in Raj’s gut to cheer everyone up multiplying.

“Surprise dodgeball!” Raj howls. “Think fast Al!”

He suddenly grabs a nearby beach ball and chucks it at Aleister.

Aleister lets out an undignified shriek as the ball hits him, and he stumbles into the pool with a splash.

“Sorry!” Raj calls out. “Meant to ‘delightfully surprise’, not ‘knock over’!”

Immediately, everyone starts laughing.

Except for Aleister.

Climbing out of the pool and spitting out water, Aleister’s wet clothes cling tightly to him, showing…

…huh. The boy’s got muscles.

“Whaddya know?” Diego says between giggles. “Aleister has abs!”

“Are you mocking me?” I can practically see the vein on Aleister’s forehead throb from over here.

“Not at all!” Quinn gives a thumbs-up. “You look good!”

Aleister looks in the mirror behind the bar, and I can see a tiny smile as he stands up a bit straighter.

I can feel Raj’s satisfaction. And I can’t blame him. Everyone’s in much better spirits now.

Raj walks over to Aleister, who’s now in front of a glass pane, fixing his hair and straightening out his clothes.

“Hey Al-”

“I wasn’t doing anything!” Aleister flushes. “I’m…simply tidying up in case the others return!”

“And by others you mean…?”

Aleister just stares back after a few minutes.

Raj sighs.

“ _Grace_ , dude. By _others_ , you mean _Grace_. You were supposed to finish my line.”

“What in heavens has gotten into your smoke-suffocated brain?” Aleister snaps. “This…this has nothing to do with the fact that Grace could return at any moment…and catch me looking…silly.”

Aleister turns back to the mirror, and Raj throws and arm around his shoulders.

“If I may impart some Raj wisdom,” he begins. “You should just tell her how you feel. The answer’s a lot more simple than it seems.”

“‘Simple’? Well then, how am I supposed to do that when I don’t even _know_ how I feel?”

“That’s the first problem then,” Raj explains. “Can’t put her on the spot unless you know what it is you want. Think about it like this; one day, I was really, _really_ high, and I wanted Cheetos.”

“That’s it, I’m leaving.”

“Just hear me out! I swear there’s a point, and it’s relevant! Anyways, I wanted Cheetos, but my couch was _so_ comfy, and I didn’t want to get up. I wanted the Cheetos to come to me. I dreamed of them showing up at my door and telling me they wanted me too. And you know what happened? I never got those Cheetos. I spent my whole day wishing instead of making my wishes come true.”

“Oh lord in heaven,” Aleister groans. “I think something’s wrong with me, because that actually made sense.”

Raj claps Aleister’s shoulder.

“You’re welcome, buddy. That’s only the first step though! Here, I’ll write out my ten-step plan to romantic bliss!”

Raj then tears a photo off the wall of the bar and flips it over.

He looks around for a second, and suddenly freezes.

“Whoa!” Raj exclaims. “Dude, look! Boats!”

“Yes, yes,” Aleister says impatiently. “It’s a picture of boats. Now, step two!”

“Everyone! Get over here!”

Quinn, Diego, and Lila come rushing over.

“Look at this picture!” Raj holds the photo up.

“Okay?” Diego says, unsure. “It’s a stock photo of some marina.”

“Not just _any_ marina! Look in the background!”

Raj points, and beyond the boats, past some trees…

…is a volcano.

Raj voices my thoughts.

“It’s La Huerta!”

“That picture was taken here!” Quinn cries out.

“No way!” Diego shares her shock. “You’re right, that’s the same shape as the peak of Mount Atropo!”

Aleister takes the picture, and stares at it intently.

“Based on the angle of the photo…compared to the volcano…I suspect this was taken only a couple miles south-by-southeast of the Celestial.”

“It must be Rourke’s private marina!” Lila asserts. “Only the wealthiest VIP’s kept their catamarans and yachts there.”

“And,” I feel Raj’s lips grin. “If there are still boats left at the marina, then…”

“Then you might’ve just found our ticket off the island!” Quinn finishes, grinning back.

Suddenly…

…everything is melting away and twisting…

…like a delusion becoming undone…

Now, I’m at an eerie beach, with a dark sky without stars, yet lit up by an invisible moon.

It’s the same beach I saw while being patched up from the wound the sabretooth left me.

“ _Cain…_ ”

There it is, that voice.

“Hello?” I’m able to talk. “Who’s there?”

Silence.

“Hello?!” I speak louder.

“No, not him. Not you…”

The voice is clearer. Closer.

I _know_ that voice, somehow…

“Who are you?” I call out. “What’s going on?!”

“ _Partos Dast…_ ”

Those words…I know what the mean…

Ah! More dream-static!

The voice then starts _shrieking_.

“ _Time and time again, Cain! Time and time again, you little-!_ ”

I wake with a start, but heart pounding like a hammer to my chest.

“What’s the matter?”

I turn to see Estela, out of the sleeping bag and packing up some supplies.

“Oh, uh, nothing,” I laugh nervously. “Just a bad dream.”

Estela snorts.

“You can lie to everyone else here to keep up appearances,” she says, continuing with her bag. “But you don’t have to do that with me.”

Those words almost make me freeze.

“W-what…” I stammer. “What do you mean?”

Estela stops packing, and gives me a pointed look.

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Estela leaves me with that.

I don’t have to lie with her…?

Yeah right.

My whole life, I’ve hid behind smiles because the real me is absolute shit.

People say ‘be yourself’ all the time, but what they really mean is ‘be the person you know everyone will like’.

Even with Diego, the mask I wear is just a thinner one. There’s still that one, last, big lie…

If he knew the truth…

…he’d hate me. No doubt.

But he wears a mask too, and we both respect the other’s need for it.

“Okay, everybody!” Sean speaks up. “We should push forward while we’ve got daylight.”

Soon after getting out of the sleeping bag, I’m at the ready with my messenger bag slung over my shoulder.

“This last stretch looks to be the most dangerous,” Sean says grimly. “So stay close.”

We start walking, and the path around the mountain starts narrowing, until…

Oh shit.

The path’s now just a foot wide.

Is the wind blowing by us on cue or something?!

“ _This_ ,” Zahra says. “Is gonna be one gigantic ‘nope’ for me.”

“D-do we really have to go this way?” Grace stammers.

“It looks pretty risky,” Sean admits. “But this is the very end of the pass. We get around this, we’re at the volcano. We’ll take it slow and safe.”

Digging into his bag, Sean pulls out a length of rope.

“I found this at the resort. We can tie ourselves together for safety.”

“I’ll tie the knots,” Jake volunteers. “I had to learn some in training.”

Soon, we’re all tied together in a line. Sean’s leading the way, and I’m right behind him. Following me is Michelle, who’s in front of Zahra, then Jake, Grace, Estela, and finally Craig.

Furball immediately climbs up onto my shoulder, gripping tightly onto me with his paws.

“Hang on there, buddy,” I smirk as he purrs back. His cool and soft fur is pretty comforting.

Taking a slow step forward, Sean starts moving, and the pathway seems to hold.

“Alright!” Sean shouts out over the wind. “Let’s do this! Don’t look down!”

We follow through the path, and my heart’s racing as I force myself to look up, look ahead, _anywhere_ but down…

The wind keeps howling, like the call of a monster waiting for us to die so it can pick the meat off our corpses…

…okay, _wow_. I’m poetic when I’m halfway to crapping my pants.

I force myself to keep up my steps, my back against the rocky wall behind me.

“You got this, Cain,” Sean turns his head, and I can see an encouraging smile. “We’re almost there, so hang on.”

“Grace?” I hear Estela’s concerned voice. “You holding up?”

Grace’s scared whimpers come next as an answer.

“Guys!” Zahra calls out. “I think we’re about to lose the nerd!”

“Chill out, Grace,” Craig’s voice is surprisingly gentle. “Do what I do. Think about something awesome instead, like muscle cars.”

Grace sniffs.

“I…I like muscle cars…”

Wait, _seriously?_

“Right?” Craig sounds excited. “Aren’t they badass? I’ve got a Charger myself. When you put the pedal down, that beast just growls! Makes a sound like-”

There’s a tremor below us.

I turn around, and the earth right below Craig’s feet is splintering.

“ _Whoa!_ ”

“ _Craig!_ ” Sean calls out.

Craig falls over the edge.

“ _Pull!_ ” Sean shouts instantly.

We all pull back on the rope, trying to fish Craig from the edge…

…but no matter how much we’re pulling, he’s too heavy!

Oh crap, _crap!_

Everything after that happens so fast.

Estela and Grace are yanked by Craig’s weight off first. I get pulled closer and closer to the ledge as Jake, Zahra, and Michelle follow…

I scream as I’m about to fall.

Sean’s grunting behind me, and…

…right after I’m off the ledge, I come to a sharp stop.

I look up. Sean’s arm is hooked on one of the rusted safety struts on the ledge.

Looking down, I see everyone dangling below me, shocked into a silence.

Sean’s roaring in pain and determination, obviously struggling to keep his grip.

Blood rushes through my ears and my heart pounds more fiercely than I ever thought it could.

We all continue dangling against the cliff as the wind blows past us.

This is _not_ good.


	29. The Danger

“Holy…” Craig’s voice comes. “That’s a really, _really_ long way down!”

“Calm down,” Estela calls out. “It’s such a high drop, you won’t even feel it when you die.”

“Not helping! _So_ not helping!”

I feel Furball’s body tighten around me as he lets out frightened whimpers.

Suddenly, the sun starts to drop in a fast forwarded sunset, darkening the sky.

“Not again!” I snarl.

“I can’t see a damn thing,” Zahra yells.

“Sean, _pull us up!_ ” Michelle howls. “What are you waiting for?!”

The veins in Sean’s biceps are popping as he’s trying to pull himself back onto the ledge.

“ _I’m…trying…_ ”

“Respect for the gains, Cap,” Jake shouts. “But I don’t think that’s gonna work!”

“It _has to work!_ ”

Looking down, I see Grace burying her face in her arms.

“Grace!” I call out to her. “I need you to focus! That’s the only way we’ll get out of this! You with me?”

She stays like that for a moment, but looks up.

“Yes! I’m with you, Cain!”

The wind howls again.

Okay, come on.

Follow your own advice. Focus.

I squint into the dark, trying to make out the environment.

There has to be _something_ around us…

A way to climb back up, a vine…

…no, that’s too risky. There’s no telling if it will hold…

…maybe another ledge? We can swing to it-

-I see it.

Oh fuck, _thank you_.

“Craig!” I yell. “Do you see that other ledge over there?! Off to the side?!”

“I… _yeah!_ I think I see it!”

“Run along the cliff face! Try to swing there!”

“I can’t get that far, man!”

“Everybody!” I shout as loudly as I can. “Help Craig! All of you, swing yourselves!”

Below me, the others start pushing their legs against the cliffside, swinging like a pendulum.

The arcs are getting bigger…

…bigger…

…holy shit we might actually get out of this.

A small bit of a hysterical laugh escapes me at the thought.

“Dammit!” Estela’s voice calls out. “The ropes not long enough!”

_No!_

Furball lets out a distressed yip from my shoulders.

Looking up, Sean’s still trying to pull himself up, heaving to get his elbows over the edge.

Oh no…

…if he keeps trying to pull us up…

…his arms won’t last forever.

And then we’re all fucking toast.

“Sean!” Craig shouts. “I can get us to the other ledge, but the tether ain’t long enough!”

It’s like he’s reading my mind.

“You gotta let go, man!”

“Are you nuts?!” Michelle shrieks. “If Sean lets go, we all die!”

“I can swing us to the lower ledge! We can make it!”

“I…” Sean growls. “I can…get us…back up…”

“Sean, you gotta trust me!” Craig pleads. “You gotta trust all of us!”

I can see Sean’s eyes go desperate, but he keeps heaving.

“Sean,” I say, gently, but loud enough for him to hear. “Craig can do this.”

He looks down to me, and I see the moonlight reflect off the beads of sweat on his face.

Finally, Sean nods.

“On your hard count, Craig! You’re the QB now!”

“Everyone!” Craig yells. “We need one more big swing!”

We all run back along the cliff face, away from the lower edge, preparing…

“ _Forward!_ ”

On Craig’s call, we run the other way.

He’s just out of reach at the ledge…

“Hut-hut… _hut!_ ”

From the way I feel us go weightless, I can tell Sean’s let go.

Like a bear, Craig _roars_.

Still falling, I see Craig land on the wide lower ledge…

“Booyah, mother-!”

He lets out a yelp when Estela lands on top of him…

…followed by everyone else.

Groaning, my limbs are all entangled in a pile of everyone else’s limbs.

“Thanks for breaking our fall, Craig.”

“ _Ow…_ ” is his reply.

“Uh,” I hear Jake. “Whose hand is in my pants right now?”

“That’d be me,” Sean says. “Sorry about that.”

I roll out of the pile, and I see Furball, who got off my neck, prancing around and jumping like he’s celebrating.

Sean is up, helping Craig to his feet.

“Not bad, bulldozer,” Sean grins.

Craig looks uncharacteristically sheepish.

“Not sure I’d put that one on my highlight reel, but…”

“Hey,” Sean grins. “It’s about time I let someone else carry the weight.”

“Hilarious, you and your damn puns,” Craig’s eyes go from annoyed to softened. “But, to get a little sappy here, dude…thanks…for trusting me.”

“Thank Cain,” Sean turns to me. “He made me realize that I couldn’t do it all on my own, even if I want to protect others.

My cheeks start heating up.

“Uh…all I did was knock you off your high horse. No big deal.”

“No,” Sean says firmly. “You did more than that. You made me understand that it’s not just about showing up. It’s about trusting each other with the hard parts. So…thanks. To you _and_ Craig, for showing me that.” 

* * *

After getting our bearings, we continue on the mountain ridge, much smoother now, and soon, we’re climbing up the slope of Mount Atropo.

Soon, the sun starts rising, and in the light, the giant metal dome of the observatory shows itself.

“There it is,” Sean says. “The La Huerta Observatory.”

“After almost dying twice,” Zahra scowls. “This satellite uplink had _better_ work.”

Grace smiles.

“I have a good feeling it will.”

We follow the path up to the dome, a small hiss comes out from the ground.

From the ground, where there was just rocks and dirt, a hatch opens up.

“Whoa, what the hell?!”

Sean walks up to it, looking into the opening.

“I think this is the entrance.”

“But why was it _hidden?_ ” I ask. How important could an observatory be if there’s a hidden entrance?

“Who knows,” Jake shrugs. “But right now, we’ve got a satellite to use, so I say we hop in.”

“You want to go _into_ the volcano?” Michelle asks incredulously.

“If that’s the way in,” he shrugs.

There’s a ladder in the hatch we all climb down into darkness.

“Hey,” I hear Zahra speak after we walk down the halls for a while. “Anybody else getting really hot all of a sudden?”

She’s right. It’s starting to feel like someone left the heater on ‘COM234 room in the summer’.

Craig starts snickering.

“ _Grow up,_ Craig.”

“Seriously,” I say. “It feels like it’s boiling in here.”

Ahead, I see faint red light through the darkness…

We keep moving forward, and suddenly, steam fills my vision.

I squeeze my eyes shut, still climbing down.

Finally, I feel a metal floor clang beneath my feet.

Stepping forward, the steam finally starts to clear, and…

…shit.

Before us are several rickety looking catwalks hang from the rocky ceiling above. The metal floor beneath is lit up a dark red from…

…from a pool of bubbling, molten rock.

Oh my god…

… _this_ is the place I saw from my vision.

All that’s missing is…

My eyes dart everywhere, scanning every inch of the scene.

No sign of the man in the lion mask.

“Huh,” Zahra says detachedly. I turn, and I see everyone already made it down. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire, I guess.”

“Oh my goodness!” Grace recoils. “We’re in the central chamber of Mount Atropo!”

“Hey, look on the other side,” Sean points ahead, and I can make out glass windows. “I think that’s the observatory lab!”

“You’re gonna go across these rickety-ass catwalks?” Zahra demands. “You seriously trust them to hold?”

Sean meets my eyes, and smiles confidently.

“No. But I trust _us._ ”

Jake shakes his head.

“Nice words Cap, but-”

“I’m serious. I haven’t been giving you all enough credit. I saw firsthand how tough you all are,” Sean smiles fondly at everyone. “And if there’s one thing I believe right now, it’s that if anyone has a chance to make sure this whole mission wasn’t for nothing, it’s _us_.”

For a while, we’re silent.

Honestly…Sean’s words actually give me some hope.

It’s probably just sheer dumb luck we’ve been surviving so far, but…

…no. No, it’s more than that.

I don’t just feel it, I know it. Somehow…I just _know_ …

It’s not even how Sean says it like he believes it himself, but _something else_ …

“So,” Zahra speaks up. “We’re really doing this?”

“There’s no other way in,” I reply. “We’ve _got_ to.”

Furball huddles against my leg, whimpering.

Grace looks just as scared as the fox.

“Okay, but I mentioned my debilitating fear of heights, right? Because I have a debilitating fear of heights.”

“Heights I’m fine with,” Jake shrugs. “Pools of bubbling magma? Not so much.”

“I mean, _someone_ put these catwalks here,” Craig says nervously. “That means they’re probably safe, right?”

“Yeah, but how long ago was that?” Michelle asks. “Who knows if they’re still safe?”

“Guys,” Sean speaks up. “We’ve come too far to turn back now. Let’s just do this.”

“Alright then,” Zahra nods at him. “You first.”

“Actually,” Craig points ahead. “ _Her_ first.”

We look into the catwalks.

Estela’s already halfway across, and turns her head briefly.

“There’s still time to turn back,” She calls out. “If you’re too scared, that is.”

“Well,” Sean scratches the back of his neck. “When you put it like that…”

Sean follows, and soon enough, we’re going one by one across the catwalks.

My heart almost goes still as the catwalk starts swaying, but it actually holds.

Craig laughs heartily.

“This isn’t so bad!”

Immediately, the ground starts rumbling.

Shit.

Beneath us, the magma starts to sizzle.

Looking down, I stare into the _massive_ bubbles growing and rising towards us.

Double shit!

“Just _had_ to open your big mouth, didn’t you, Craig?!” Zahra shouts.

One of bubbles bursts, and the droplets of magma flying our way pulls me out of my stupor.

“ _Run!_ ” Sean yells.

We sprint down the catwalk, and I almost fall over as it starts shaking and rattling.

I hear an explosion and sizzling magma behind me.

As I turn my head, I see Michelle falling to the ground.

I catch a magma bubble forming beneath her.

Turning around, I sprint back to Michelle, pulling her to her feet.

Right as I do, the bubble bursts and sends magma right up through the metal floor.

Instinctively, I dive, pulling Michelle with me.

We both scream as the liquid rock strikes where I was just standing. I land on my back, and Michelle lands on top of me.

“You…” Michelle’s eyes are wide. “You saved my life.”

“Thank me later! We gotta go!”

Pulling ourselves up, we sprint to the end of the catwalk where everyone is waiting for us.

“Come on!” Grace calls out.

“ _Run!_ ” Jake screams.

We make it to the platform.

The minute we’re off the metal, the magma rumbles again, seething and rising.

“Quick!” Zahra shouts. “Through the door!”

We all dive through the steel door at the end of the platform.

When we all go through the door and into a dark room, the door slams shut, leaving us again in darkness.

“Ohmygod…ohmygod…” Grace breathes.

“That was _way_ too close!” Craig hollers.

“But we all made it?” Sean asks. “We’re all okay?”

“Yeah,” Zahra answers. “But where the hell are we?”

The lights just then flicker on.

Around us, silvery-grey walls close off what appears to be a control room. Computer consoles, both on-screen and holographic, flicker with a flurry of words, pictures, and numbers.

The volcano rumbles. As we turn around, we see dense glass windows giving us a view of our previous peril. Rickety catwalks and all.

“I think,” Sean says. “We’re in the observatory.”

“This doesn’t look like any observatory I’ve ever seen,” Jake scoffs.

Zahra steps forward, her mouth agape.

“These consoles…they’re _cutting edge_ tech. Like, decades ahead of anything I’ve ever seen.”

“Rourke International _does_ do a lot of technological innovation and development,” Grace informs. “Maybe we’ve found one of their research facilities?”

“But _why,_ ” Craig asks. “Would it be here, on a tropical resort island?”

“Because,” Jake growls. “This whole dam place is a front. The rumors are true. This island’s just one big playground for Rourke to run his illegal experiments.”

“So what’s that make us?” Zahra demands. “The guinea pigs?”

“Yeah, well,” Craig grits his teeth angrily. “This guinea pig’s gonna kick his ass!”

“Oh, I wish I had a video of you saying that.”

“Um,” Grace speaks up timidly. “I don’t mean to alarm anyone…but does anyone see any doors we can open around here?”

I look around.

Grace is right. The only door here is the one we came in through.

And it’s sealed up tight.

“No frickin’ way,” Craig panics. “We’re _stuck_ in here?!”

“Are you serious?” Michelle demands. “No. No, no, _no!_ ”

“So that’s it then,” Zahra rubs her forehead. “We’re trapped here. No escape.”

“Let’s all just stay calm,” Sean steps up. “And not forget why we came here, okay? We’re looking for a satellite uplink. Why don’t we split up and look around? I’m sure we can find something.”

With that, we start search the room, left at the mercy of what Rourke International left behind for us to find.


	30. The Observatory

On each of the holographic screens in the room, one has a symbol that stands out.

I remember the cufflink. I take it out of my pocket, where it remained since I found it in Rourke’s office.

The symbol on the screen is a dead ringer for the one on the cufflink.

I’d guess it’s a weird screensaver, the way it takes up most of the console’s space…

Three S’s, or snakes, joined together at the tails.

The dream static appears, and it’s like my mind rebels against itself.

_Not three snakes joined. One snake with three heads._

“Son of a…”

Zahra’s voice pulls me to reality.

We’ve all split up to explore the room. Zahra and I are at the left wall, where most of the computer monitors and terminals are.

She’s on her back under the terminals, tinkering and analyzing the hardware.

“Any luck getting these computer’s working?”

“Yeah right,” Zahra groans. “I’ve hacked some pretty sophisticated systems…but nothing like this. This tech is _way_ above my paygrade.”

“Maybe it has a voice command?” I try.

It was meant as a joke (I’m won’t pretend to be as computer savvy as she is), but Zahra actually considers it.

“That’s what I’m thinking…but it’s almost like the whole system’s in lockdown. We gotta find a way to reset it.”

“Any idea how?”

Zahra points to a panel on the underside of the console.

“I’m thinking there might be a hard reset switch in there, but I can’t open the damn panel. It’s locked, and if I had something to pick it, something small and flexible, then maybe…”

“Maybe a pocket knife?” I suggest.

“Already tried,” she scowls. “My knife’s too big and nowhere near flexible enough.”

“I’ll see if I can find anything,” I assure.

On a table under a large holographic screen is a flat scanner with a soft glowing light under it.

There aren’t any buttons or switches. Just that scanner.

I lean close to it…

“ _Biometric signature found! Rourke DNA detected! Present match now!_ ”

I jump as an electronic voice speaks from close to the scanner.

“Whoa, what was that?” Zahra crawls out from under the terminals.

She points to me.

“What are you holding?”

Rourke’s cufflink is still in my hand.

“This is Rourke’s,” I explain. “We found this in his office.”

“Huh…” Zahra’s eyes gleam. “Put it on the scanner! That might get us into the system!”

I do as she says, and the scanner’s blue light glows brighter.

One of the monitors flickers, and shows an image of an unhappy-looking goateed man wearing a suit.

It’s Everett Rourke.

“ _Playing final recording,_ ” the electronic voice speaks again. “ _Timestamp: ERROR._ ”

The image moves, becoming a video.

“Another attack by the Hostiles, on the northeastern research complex,” Rourke says angrily on the recording. “The whole place was trashed, and they stole an entire supply shipment.”

It’s weird…

Every word the man speaks sends shivers down my very soul. The first and only time I heard him speak was my dream on the plane, and his voice was warped and twisted.

It’s like every fiber of my being is telling me this guy is nothing but bad news.

“Three of my security personal are hospitalized,” Rourke continues. “And my chief scientist…it’s like they did something to his brain. He won’t stop talking about magic orbs and lion masks and time loops…total gibberish. Just who the hell are these people, and what are they doing on _my_ island?!”

The monitor flickers, and the video vanishes.

“What the…”

“Okay,” Zahra speaks. “What the _fuck_ was he talking about?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “But it’s not good.”

“What the hell kinda place is this…” Zahra shakes her head. “Whatever. That’s just a bigger incentive to do what we came here to. Now, let ‘Operation GTFBH’ continue.”

“‘GTFBH’?”

“‘Get the fuck back home’.”

“Ah. Well, if I find a lockpick, I’ll come running to you.”

“You do that.”

I leave Zahra to the console, and walk to the far end of the room.

Jake and Sean are by a pod. The tall, opaque cylinder goes up from the floor to the ceiling.

I circle the pod, gazing at the smooth metal.

There aren’t any doors, and as far as I can see, no way to open it.

“Hey guys,” I turn Jake and Sean. “What do you think of this thing?”

Sean shrugs.

“I don’t know. I was trying to find a way to open it, but there’s nothing.

“Well,” Jake starts. “I got one idea…but it’s kinda crazy.”

He breathes in before speaking again.

“Back when I was in the military, I had a buddy working at DARPA. He told me about this new tech they were working on called MASADA Pods. These things were the last step in survival. You got into this pod, plugged some tubes in your arms, and then the whole thing would fill up with these specialized chemicals. You’d knock clean out, and the pod would seal shut. And then you’d be safe from _anything_. Fire, bullets, bombs…my buddy said they’d be the last things left after a nuclear war.”

“How’d you get out?” Sean asks.

“Beats me. My buddy didn’t hear about that part.”

I turn to the pod, and an unpleasant thought crosses my mind.

“You…you think someone might be in there _right now?_ ”

Jake and Sean’s expressions probably match mine right now.

“Creepy thought, ain’t it?”

“Hey, check this out though,” Sean points to the metal lining the top of the pod, where it meets the ceiling. “Looks like this thing can go up to another floor.”

“Looks like it,” I nod. “Good eye.”

“Thanks.”

“So there must be another level above us.”

“Beats me,” Sean shrugs again.

I give the pod a good long look before going over to the window.

At the glass barrier, revealing the sea of magma outside, are Grace, Craig, and Michelle all look at the glowing red.

Craig sees me coming.

“‘Sup.”

“Not much. Just wondering if any of you found something.”

“Naw. Mostly I’ve been thinking about magma. Like… _what is it?_ Does anyone know?”

“Uh…” I hesitate, wondering if I should just leave it be. “Like…molten rock…from the heat of the volcano.”

“Oh!” Craig nods, laughing a bit. “I guess I thought it was more complicated than that…like with particles or something…heh, you’re pretty smart huh?”

“Actually,” Grace speaks up, looking nervous. “There _is_ something about the magma I can’t stop thinking about.”

“What do you mean?” Michelle asks.

“Well, look at it,” Grace points out the window. “It’s totally still now. No bubbles, no scorching jets _nothing…_ in fact…I’m pretty sure it calmed down the _second_ we got in this room.”

“What are you saying?” I ask nervously. “That the magma was…”

“Trying to get us?” Craig finishes.

“That’s crazy, right? I mean, like even for this island, crazy?”

“Hard to believe…but you’ve got a point. There’s something strange happening out there. Keep an eye on it, would you?”

“Sure thing,” Grace smiles. “Thanks for listening, Cain.”

I catch Michelle turning something over in her hand.

“What’s that?”

“This?” Michelle holds her hand up. “It’s a bobby pin. I fiddle with it when I’m nervous.”

“That’s funny.”

Michelle’s eyebrow raises.

“How so?”

“You…don't really strike me as the kind of person who gets nervous. Angry, maybe. But not nervous.”

“Well,” Michelle turns back to the lava. “I guess there’s just a lot about me you don’t know.”

“I guess so,” I smile sheepishly, and then I remember something. “Hey, hold on a sec!”

I rush over to the computers.

“Hey, Zahra, remember how you needed something to pick the lock? How would a bobby pin do?”

“Yeah actually,” her face brightens up. “That could totally work! You got one?”

“ _I_ don’t. Hey, Michelle!” I call over to her. “Could you come here for a second?”

Michelle walks over, and Zahra snatches the bobby pin out of her hand.

“Hey!”

“Relax, lady. I’m just getting us all out of here.”

Zahra jams the bobby pin into the panel’s lock.

She twists and swivels it around for a few seconds, but nothing happens.

“Come on… _come on…_ ”

“Um,” Grace steps forward. “If you don’t mind, could I try?”

“What, _you_ got experience picking locks?”

Grace slides over and takes the bobby pin.

She turns it a few times, and the lock clicks open.

“Whoa…”

“When this is all over, I have a _lot_ of questions.”

I lean down with Zahra to take a look inside the panel.

At the top is the word ‘reset’, and under it are three switches.

“Well,” Zahra sighs. “Good news is, we found the reset switches. Bad news is, I have no idea what order to flip these in.”

“Can’t you just guess?” I ask.

“Yeah, but it’s possible guessing wrong could shut down whatever backup generators this room is running on. And I don’t know about you, but I like having the lights on.”

“Point taken. But what do we do?”

“Keep looking around. Maybe it’s written down somewhere around here.”

Nodding, I stand up, and leave Zahra at the console.

I walk over to the sealed door, where I see thick pipes running along the wall next to it.

Furball’s curled up near the wall, where Estela’s kneeling down close by, examining the floor.

I kneel down next to Estela.

“What’s up?”

“See here?” Estela points to a cable running from a nearby console. “This runs from there, and into this grate.”

Estela runs her hand along the cable and to the grate.

“And look closely, there’s a light down there.” I lean down to the grate, and I can see a faint light, just like she says. “I think there’s another room below us, but I can’t get the grate to open.”

I help Estela to push on it, but the grate doesn’t budge.

“We need a way to weaken it, to make it easier to break.”

“Hm…” I turn to Furball. “I think I have an idea.”

Furball purrs happily when I walk up to him.

“Hey, buddy,” I pet his head. “Could you freeze the grate for me?”

Trotting happily up to the grate, Furball looks at Estela and me, right before breathing icy mist onto the grate.

This has gotta work! I can hear the metal buckle and weaken!

“Hey!” Estela smiles. “That’s perfect!”

Purring proudly, Furball scampers to me, and I scratch him under the chin.

“Who’s a good magic fox thing? _You’re_ a good magic fox thing! Yes you are!”

“Hey, Cain!” I see Estela over the grate. “Gimme a hand over here!”

I walk over to her, and we both kick the grate a few times.

It _still_ doesn’t break.

“We _almost_ got it,” Estela scowls. “But it’s still not quite breaking…we need a tool…something big and sturdy to hit with…”

I look around…there’s got to be something here…

The pipes on the wall.

I knock on it with my fist a few times. It seems pretty sturdy…

“Good thinking!”

I try to pull one off, but it doesn’t even budge.

“Damn…”

“Let me try,” Estela pulls on the pipe a few times.

She stops, turns to me and shakes her head.

“Dammit, I’m not strong enough,” Estela scowls.

“We’re gonna need some help,” I mutter, scanning the room. My eyes fall to Craig. “Hey Craig, could you give me a hand?”

“Yeah, with what?” Craig asks as he walks over.

“I wanna pull this pipe off, but it’s too sturdy. Think you can do it?”

“Chyeah I can!” he grins. “Watch the master at work!”

Wrapping his hands around the pipe, Craig takes in a deep breath and pulls…

…and pulls…

…and the pipe rips off!

“Yeah, baby! That’s! How! I! Do!”

“Damn, Craig!” Sean marvels. “When we get back to school, you gotta teach me your weight-lifting technique!”

“Anytime, homes!”

“Great,” I grin. I point to the frozen grate. “Can you use that to smash this grate?”

“Double chyeah! I was put on this earth for two reasons,” Craig grins back. “Helping Sean on the field, and smashing things with pipes.”

Craig gets his pipe ready.

We stand back, and he smashes the pipe down on the grate.

It shatters, plummeting down on the floor below.

“Whoa!” Grace exclaims.

“Dude,” Sean gapes.

“Yes,” Craig lifts the pipe in the air. “Craig, one, stupid grate negative zero!”

“Nice work, muscles,” Estela smirks.

“So, um…” Grace points to the opening the grate once covered. “What’s down there?”

“Only one way to find out,” Estela says.

Before we can react, she drops down into the hole.

I look up at Jake, who shrugs.

We follow after her, and land in a room.

The coldness of the room, the metal table and two chairs pushed in give me a good (or horrifying) idea of what this room is.

“Is this…”

Estela nods grimly.

“An interrogation room.”

“Okay,” I don’t acknowledge the quiver in my voice. “I get why Rourke would have a research facility…but why the hell would he need an _interrogation room?_ ”

“I can think of a dozen reasons,” Jake mutters. “None of them good.”

I go over to a trash can on the floor. There’s just a single crumpled piece of paper in it.

“What’s it say?” Estela asks me when I pick up the paper and unfold it.

“‘Reset Sequence,’” I read. “‘3-1-2’.”

“Any idea what that means?”

“Actually,” I grin. “Yeah. It’s the reset sequence to the computer. Zahra’s gonna wanna see this.”

I put the paper in my pocket.

Walking over to the locker, I see Jake staring intently into it.

“What is it?”

“Check this out,” Jake reaches into the locker and takes out something.

It’s not like any gun I’ve ever seen. It’s sleek and white, and looks like something from a science fiction game.

“What…is _that?_ ”

“Don’t know,” Jake replies. “I’ve never seen a gun like it. And I’ve seen a whole lot of guns.”

“Do you…think it’s _loaded?_ ”

We both look at the gun uneasily.

“I don’t really feel like pulling the trigger to find out.”

“Yeah, I’m on board with that.”

“Guns, interrogation rooms…I am liking this whole place less and less,” Jake mutters. He holds up the gun. “Mind if I hold onto this?”

“Be my guest,” I say, and Jake tucks the gun into his jacket. “Let’s go back up. I think there ain’t much more this place can give us.”

Jake pulls the table under the hole the grate once covered, grabs the ledge, and climbs through.

“You’re not coming?” Estela, up at the table, asks me.

I notice I haven’t moved from in front of the locker.

“I’ll catch up with you. I wanna check something.”

What…?

 _Why_ did I say that?

All but a second ago, I was about to climb up with them.

But those words just fly out of my mouth, like it was on autopilot.

“Alright,” Estela says. “Call out when you’re done.”

Well…

…since I’m here, I might as well check the room one last time to make sure we didn’t miss anything.

I walk over to the opposite side of the room, and I hear a noise under me.

The tile, one that the interrogation table was just over, is loose.

There’s…there are two small indents on it.

Like a handle.

I put my fingers in the indents, and the tile’s actually as light as plastic.

There’s a small hole, about a foot deep.

The three folders, the first having a red stamped ‘confidential’, the Rourke International logo, and the photo of Diego on it, make my blood run cold.


	31. The Robot

More folders.

One of Diego, one of Zahra, and one of Jake.

The other files gave me at least _some_ answers…

…dammit…

I promise myself that I’ll show them they’re files eventually, and accept whatever anger they have at me then.

But for now, I need to know about the people who were spying on us.

I open Diego’s folder.

I see his smiling face clipped to the paper, and on it is another symbol. This one looks like a dog.

I’m not even shocked by the sense of familiarity and dream static that follows looking at the symbol.

His clearance level is epsilon. I skim his full name (Diego Ricardo Ortiz Soto), his birthday of March 12 of 1996, and his birthplace of Riverside, California, and go to his background.

‘First in his family to attend college. Hides much of true personality from conservative family…just like he hides his blue-collar roots from friends.’

I have to keep from making a fist.

Diego confided in me about his past, so I know most of this anyway. But every word written on the file makes me feel like its mocking my best friend.

I calm myself down, and read on to the psychological profile.

‘Hides troubled feelings behind humor. Sees himself as a plucky sidekick to his friends. Unclear why he was included.’

Red dances on the edge of my vision.

How dare they?

_Who gave them the fucking right…_

How dare these people think they have the right to spy on Diego and judge him like that?!

I don’t even bother reading the threat assessment. I shove the file back into the folder.

Opening the next folder, I’m greeted with Zahra’s scowling face.

Under it is a symbol that’s either a crow or raven.

The clearance is epsilon. Her full name is Zahra Yasmin Namazi, and she was born in September 12, 1995 in Tehran, Iran.

The background says she’s the daughter of a structural engineer and a novelist. She apparently showed tech prowess at an early age, and…

…oh _wow_.

According to the file, Zahra’s part of a hacktivist group AZRA3L. The same group that made the 2015 Wall Street Leaks.

I heard that talked about for _months!_ And I don’t even watch much of the news!

Okay, I’ll have to be sure _never_ to get on Zahra’s bad side.

Her psychological profile says most of what was my first impression of Zahra. Acerbic, sarcastic, and self-interested.

But what really gets me is what comes after.

‘With her hacking skills and lack of loyalty, we should consider her for recruitment.’

Whoa…

…these people want Zahra to work with them?

And people who want her hacking skills, and put value on ‘lack of loyalty’…?

God…who _are_ these people?

Finishing by reading the threat assessment of seven, I move to the last folder.

I see Jake’s picture, and at the bottom of the file is…

…what the hell?!

It’s the same symbol I saw while Jake and I were on the cliff, looking for the emergency shelter!

The same weird symbol that looks like a wolf.

Okay, so first Raj finds a frying pan with the same symbol as the one on his own file, and now Jake’s file’s symbol is the same one we found together?

What do these symbols even _mean?!_

I need to get myself together.

If I’m down here too long, the others might get suspicious.

I continue reading. Jake has a clearance level of gamma. His full name is Jacob Lucas McKenzie, and he was born in Shreveport, Louisiana.

He joined the navy as 18, and was the most decorated pilots.

There’s a redaction, preceded by ‘But after the,’ and followed by ‘incident, he struck his superior officer and went AWOL. Detected in Costa Rica.’

 _AWOL?!_ He told me he was discharged!

His psychological profile says that he’s independent to the point of recklessness, and that his years on the run have broken the soldier in him, and now he’s only loyal to himself.

Under a threat assessment of 9, I almost drop the folder.

Jake has a bounty of $750,000.

 _Holy shit_ , Jake, what did you get into…?

I tuck the files into my messenger bag, in the deepest, darkest corner I can find.

Reaching out for the opening’s ledge, Sean helps me up.

“Thanks,” I nod gratefully at him.

“Anytime,” Sean points to the computers. “Zahra’s punching in the reset code.”

We immediately hear an electronic whirr, followed by a loud humming from all the walls.

The monitors flicker with strange symbols, ones that come and go too quickly for me to identify.

“Aw yeah!” Zahra cackles. “I think it’s working!”

A tiny hatch pops open on the terminal, and…

…a device jumps out.

No, it doesn’t jump.

A spherical, golf ball sized device _floats_ out from the hatch.

“What the hell?!”

“What is that thing?!” Craig cries out. “Zahra?!”

“Don’t look at me, man,” she says, looking _way_ too calm. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”

The device whirrs like a weird bug, and then it shines a light from it.

Holy shit.

It’s shooting out a hologram. One that looks like a person.

A tallish woman appears, with short hair and wearing clothes that look like business apparel or something, made of blue, flickering light.

“What the hell?!”

“My goodness!”

“ _Shiny…_ ”

“What kinda freaky Star Wars shit is-”

Nervously, I step closer to it.

Just a step though.

“Hello…?”

The hologram starts speaking in a robotic woman’s voice.

“ _Database corrupted. Access denied. Self-identity input needed._ ”

“Um…can you help us? We’re trying to access the satellite uplink…”

“ _Database corrupted. Access denied. Self-identity input needed._ ”

“Save your breath, Cain,” Michelle sighs. “Something’s clearly wrong with her.”

“Self-identity input,” Zahra mutters. “It’s almost like the software’s having trouble figuring out who it is.”

“You saying that thing’s _alive?_ ” Craig asks incredulously.

Zahra shrugs.

“In a sense, sure. I bet we could make progress if we knew what its identity was…”

“You mean, like if we guess its name?”

“Kara!” Craig shouts. “Megan! Jennifer! Jessica! Kathleen! Coco! Wendy! _Beyoncé!_ ”

Michelle rubs her forehead.

“Why don’t you try ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ or ‘Jumanji’ while you’re at it?”

“Good idea! Rumpelstilt-”

“ _I wasn’t serious!_ ”

“Uh, guys,” Jake’s voice comes up. “Anyone notice _that?_ ”

We see him point across the room, and to a small opening at the side of the pod.

“What is that…” Grace asks.

“ _Database corrupted. Access denied. Self-identity input needed._ ”

If the pod opened up when the little drone popped out…

Jake’s words about the pod echoes in my mind.

“I think…” I start nervously. “We should check that pod out.”

Walking over to the now opened pod, I look at the circular grooves in the floor and the blue light emitted by it.

“What do you guys make of this?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” Sean admits. “But look at those grooves. It kind of seems like two people are supposed to stand in it.”

“Yeah,” Michelle says. “And then what?”

“Maybe it’ll let them access the satellite,” Grace concludes, beaming.

“Or,” Zahra speaks up. “Maybe it’ll drop them straight into the magma.”

“Zahra!”

“What? I’m just saying!”

“Well, either way,” Sean steps forward. “We’ve done just about everything else we can in here. I’m going in.”

He stands on one of the grooves for a few seconds…

…and nothing happens.

“I think I might need a partner.”

“Awfully snug in there, Captain America,” Jake says. “We’d be pretty much in each other’s arms.”

“Yeah,” Craig looks glum. “I…don’t really think I’d fit…”

Everyone is silent for a minute.

I step forward.

“I…I guess I can go.”

Michelle looks at me hesitantly.

“You…you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I say, a bit more confidently. “Whatever happens, I can handle it.”

I force my feet to move.

Pretty soon, I’m joining Sean in the pod, pressed with him, chest-to-chest.

I try not to focus on the apparent muscle in Sean’s arms as he slides them across my waist…

…and we’re as close as we were when we first bumped into each other on the plane.

I can catch Sean’s cheeks reddening.

“Kinda…cozy, huh?”

“Heh, yeah,” I laugh nervously.

“I think we should-”

I’ll never know what he thinks we should do, because the door instantly slams shut.

“Whoa!”

“Hang on tight!” Sean’s arms tighten around me protectively, and I wrap my arms around him too.

Instantly, I feel the pod plunge upwards, and I crash further into Sean.

We’re in total darkness now.

The pod stops abruptly, and I hear the door slide open…

…open into _more_ darkness.

“What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” Sean replies. “Hold my hand. Let’s check it out.”

Taking Sean’s hand, we step through the door and into the dark room.

At least it’s not completely dark. I can see Sean’s outline at least.

Speaking of which…

…he turns back to me, and now I have my face in his chest.

Okay. Did I just feel the tip of his nose against mine…?

“Any guesses as to where we are?” he asks.

“No,” I almost squeak, and I search my mind for a joke. “But I’m kinda thinking this is the part where the lights come on and everyone shouts ‘Happy birthday, Cain!’”

Sean laughs.

“That’d be nice, huh? Big party, good drinks, and a whole lotta cake.”

“It’s like you’re reading my mind,” I grin in the darkness.

We’re silent for a moment.

“Maybe we can at least have a ‘We Survived’ party when we get off this island,” Sean suggests.

“That’d be nice. We’d rent some cool place, and Raj would do the cooking, no question about that.”

We both share a laugh.

“Hey, Sean?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you a question? If it’s too personal, we can drop it.”

“Of course you can.”

“What happened between you and Michelle?”

He’s silent for a while.

I feel bad for bringing it up.

I mean, I already know…the gist of things…but I can’t help but feel like there’s _more_ to it than that.

“Look…don’t get me wrong. Michelle’s a good person…but you probably noticed I’ve been trying to avoid her through the trip, and most of it is me being…you know…”

Sean sighs.

“Cain, have you ever been with someone who’s dating an expectation of you, instead of the real thing?”

“I think I know what you mean,” I lie.

I know _exactly_ what he’s talking about.

Throughout high school, I put on the façade of the charming model student.

From what it looks like, Sean is used to putting up a front too.

Sean though, he seems weary of it.

Instead, I _embraced_ it.

Behind it all, I was nothing more than a manipulative piece of shit.

I tricked and lied to people when it suited me, all for the sake of success and popularity. It wasn’t just my dating the most popular girls in the school. It was pretending to be friends with people on the student council, getting the faculty to like me, manipulating _anyone_ I thought who could be an advantage to me.

“It’s not Michelle’s fault though,” Sean adds firmly. “I think she was just raised to care about her status, to date the quarterback…no matter _who_ he is.”

 _Something else_ that my old self can relate to.

“Hey, she’s lucky he turned out to be a good guy like you, Sean.”

“Thanks Cain,” I can hear the smile in Sean’s voice. “I just…I needed a break from being a symbol. Just for a week, I wanted to be a person. That’s what I was looking forward to this trip. I wanted to be the _real_ me, and make some _real_ connections with people.”

Sean lets out a humorless laugh.

“I guess that doesn’t really matter now.”

“You still _can_ ,” I insist. “I mean, most of everyone here got to know you better. Including me.”

Even though we’re in darkness, I can somehow tell Sean is smiling.

“Gotta say, Cain…if there’s anyone I’m happy to be trapped in a dark, creepy, maybe-deathtrap with…it’s you.”

“Uh,” I feel my cheeks heat up. “I’m not-”

“ _Whoa!_ ”

“What is it?!”

“Do you see that! Behind you!”

I turn, and I can see small lights glowing, illuminating the edge of a wall.

“What’s happening?”

The lights are growing brighter.

Suddenly, the lights turn into holograms, which spread to every corner of the room we’re in.

Around Sean, I see swirling galaxies and clusters of stars form from the light.

“Whoa…” I gape. “It’s…”

“The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen…”

I turn to Sean and I squeeze his hand.

“I gotta say,” my tone is light, and somehow, I’m feeling a bit less bitter about the reminder of my past. “I never thought I would end up friends with the school’s star quarterback…but I’m glad.”

“I’m glad I’m your friend too.”

Sean suddenly gasps.

“What’s wrong?”

“Sorry, just…well _look._ ”

Sean gestures towards me, and I’m suddenly aware of several holographic stars orbiting around me.

“There’s something that’s been bugging me this whole time. Those stars around you, they match the ones over the island. I was looking at them on the way here, and…” Sean frowns. “Something seemed off. Something I couldn’t put my finger on. But now I get it.”

Out of nowhere, I feel this growing sense of dread.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Well, I spent six years in the Boy Scouts…”

“Of course you did,” I can’t help but grin.

Sean smirks, but his eyes stay serious.

“That meant spending a lot of time camping out, staring up at the sky, learning all the constellations. But…that’s what’s wrong on the island, Cain. There’s no Big Dipper. No Scorpio, no Taurus, no Gemini.”

“Maybe…it’s because we’re in a different part of the world…”

But I know, somehow, that Sean’s right.

“We’re in the Caribbean Sea,” he explains. “Which means the stars should be pretty much the same as back home, but…”

I look at him, and I guess I look as scared as I feel.

Sean nods at me, confirming my fears.

“They’re all different,” Sean says. “The sky above the Northern Hemisphere probably hasn’t looked like this in a million years.”

My heart’s pounding. Blood rushes through my ears. Dream static pounds in my head.

Immediately, the holograms fade, leaving us in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter took longer than usual to post. My fault, I've been on laziness mode for the last few days. It's also because the next chapter's another interlude, and I wanted to be most of the way finished before I posted this.


	32. Estela's Interlude

The pilot’s voice on the intercom says that we’ll be landing now.

It’s weird. I’ve spent two days straight hiding out in a tree and evaded several fighter helicopters on horseback, but I’ve never been on a plane before.

I fold the corner of the page I’m on, and I tuck my copy of _Killers of the Flower Moon_ into my bag.

Glancing out the window, I’m thankful no one sat next to me, giving me the pick of both the aisle and window seat.

Plus, I’m not in the mood for small talk.

I can feel my ears pop as we start descending.

My heartbeat quickens a bit, and instinctively, I make myself calm down.

This is it.

There’s no turning back. This is what I’ve been reaching towards for so long.

I spent years researching everything on Rourke, every word ever published in the same paragraph with his name, to find some kind of opening, some way to get to him…

Finally, I found one article published a few months ago, that mentioned he has a son.

There wasn’t anything else with one word on Everett Rourke Jr. aside from that one article talked. It talked about him beginning a few startup businesses, published theses on a bunch of scientific theories, and that he was in a grad program at Hartfeld University, in the United States.

And now, here I am, after careful planning and forging papers, posing as an exchange student with a major in communications.

Not my first pick, but I figured an easy major wouldn’t get in the way of my mission.

I keep my gaze on the window. The plane drops through the clouds, and I can see the roads and houses on the ground below.

After all these years, I’m closer to my goal than ever.

This is what I’ve been preparing for my whole life.

There was never any going back from this.

I know the risks, and I’m well with them.

I’m either going to die after this, or spend the rest of my life in jail.

But no matter what happens, I’m _going_ to get my revenge.

A thought crosses my mind, and a realization hits me like a brick.

I’m never going to see my home again…

…shit…

…how did it all get to this?

Every time I start thinking about what it was like before…

Angrily, I wipe my eyes.

Now I’m _definitely_ glad no one sat next to me.

Waves of feelings start to well up, and I remember the trips Mom, my uncle, and I would take to the beach…

…me climbing up trees and Mom yelling at me to come back down…

…every book she read to me while I was still learning to read…

…how my uncle would bribe me with snacks to get me to go out of the house…

“ _You’re_ more _than this. Your mother wouldn’t want you to devote yourself to something so self-destructive._ ”

My uncle’s words echo in my mind.

 _No_ , dammit. Shut everything else out except for your goal. Those were his words, weren’t they? One of the first lessons he taught me when I got him to mentor me.

There’s no point anyway. Any chance to back away was gone the minute I boarded the plane.

I didn’t even bring the picture with me, the one with the three of us at the beach.

I can’t have anything to take away my focus.

Nothing else matters.

I blink, and the scar over my eye feels as present as when I first got it.

…the scar I got because I lost focus for one second…

Forget it.

None of that matters anymore.

Forget San Trobia. Forget my uncle.

Forget the past. Push it out of your head.

My uncle doesn’t understand. No one else can. And that doesn’t matter.

From now on, the only thing that exists for me is my mission.

My revenge.


	33. The Uplink

When the room goes dark, Sean takes my hand. I have to keep myself from squeezing it like a lifeline.

He leads me back to where we came from, where the pod is.

I see the dark outline of his form kneel down.

“Huh. There’s some kinda card here…I can’t see it in the dark.”

“Let’s head back down to the others,” I suggest.

We both move to the pod.

Just as fast as before, it streaks back down.

Before we know it, we’re back in the observatory’s main room, with everyone’s eyes focused on us.

“Well?” Grace asks. “Did you find anything?”

“Did you guys _kiss?_ ” Craig croons.

Sean and I both flush red.

“Holy shit, _did_ you-”

“Shut up Craig!” Michelle snaps.

“We saw,” I focus on what we found above us. “This…light show. Stars and galaxies and the whole universe.”

Sean nods.

“And we found this,” he holds up the piece of paper he found.

In the light, I can see on one side of the paper a picture of the hologram woman’s face. On the other side are four words.

“‘Intelligent Reactive Imaging System’,” Sean reads.

That…that has to be the name of the hologram.

But…no, that’s not all there is. I don’t know how I know, it’s just…a gut feeling.

Come on, what could it be…an abbreviation? A-

“Hey, Boy Scout?” Jake asks me. “You’ve got that weird look on your face that says you’re a step away from another Brain Blast.”

I nod.

“I have an idea.”

I walk up to the hologram.

“ _Database corrupted. Access denied. Self-identity input needed._ ”

“ _Iris_ ,” I say, loudly and clearly.

The hologram flickers, and then perks up, her eyes widening.

“Correct!” She says. “Identity match established! Scanning databanks and establishing backup connection…”

“Nice work, Cain!” Sean grins.

“Good thinking!” Grace agrees.

“Knew we could count on you,” Jake claps me on the back.

“Database link established,” Iris speaks. “Downloading partially reconstructed historical fragments…island history: not found. Rourke International archives: not found. Personal identity: fully recalibrated.”

Iris blinks a few more times, and then smiles.

“Greetings travelers. I am a backup of Iris 1.0. I apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. My software has been corrupted, so my archives are incomplete. How may I help you?”

“Don’t supposed you could get us out of here?” Zahra asks.

Iris gives a mechanical smile.

“Done.”

A hatch immediately opens, and a ladder descends from the ceiling. I look up into it, and I see daylight.

“It was that easy?” Craig whines. “Come on!”

“Wait!” Sean holds his hands up. “Let’s not forget the whole reason we came here!”

“Right,” I nod. “Iris, can you access the satellite uplink?”

Her eyes flicker.

“Yes!” Iris smiles. “Satellite uplink established. Communications are now available.”

My heart practically leaps into my throat as I let out a cry in relief and disbelief.

“ _Yes!_ ” Michelle cackles.

“We did it!” Zahra grins like a child. “We actually did it!”

“Put us through to someone who can help,” Sean says. “Uh…like the Coast Guard!”

“Scanning,” Iris’s eyes flicker again. “Locating…frequency found! Connecting to the Saint Lucia Naval Base.”

Static cracks before I hear a beep.

“Hello!” I call out. “Can anyone hear us?! We’re on the island of La Huerta, and we need help now! Can someone come and get us out?”

For a second, I feel so damn happy, I feel like laughing like a fucking madman…

…and then I hear a voice.

“My god, it’s…it’s erupting…”

The voice on the other end is a panicked man’s voice.

“The volcano’s erupting…and there’s something else…not just ash, but…oh no…oh no…”

A horrified scream fills the room.

The line goes dead.

What… _what on earth…?_

Fuck, I’m shivering…

…did it drop a few degrees here…?

“What the hell was that?!” Michelle demands.

“I don’t know,” Sean’s face is calm, but I can see his hands shake a little and beads of sweat on his forehead. “Iris, can you connect us to somewhere else? Like the USA maybe?”

“Connecting to South Florida Coast Guard,” Iris’s eyes flicker before the next voice comes.

“This is unbelievable,” says a woman. “The La Huerta volcano is erupting, but…it’s not like anything I’ve ever seen…”

What?!

 _Why_ do they keep saying the volcano’s erupting?

“There’s some kind of…energy discharge…and it’s spreading so fast…burning everything…oh no…it’s coming right at us…no… _NOOOO!_ ”

The line goes dead.

“Do another one,” Grace tells Iris, her voice on the border between nervous and hysterical.

We go to everywhere Iris is able to contact, but it’s all the same.

Gasps, prayers, and screams of people of all ages.

And I hear some things I don’t care much to think about.

Finally, we come to the voice of an old man whispering.

“God help us all.”

“Turn it off,” I beg in a gasp. “Turn off the satellite uplink, Iris.”

“Of course.”

“I…I don’t understand,” Grace shivers. “What does it mean? What happened out there?”

“The volcano hasn’t erupted,” Michelle rubs her forehead. “But everyone thinks it _did?_ ”

“I don’t know what’s happening out there,” Sean’s dropped the calm act. “But I do know one thing. No one’s coming to rescue us.”

He looks at me, and I can feel myself shaking.

“We’re on our own.” 

* * *

We’re all silent as we move forward.

No one’s said even a word since we left the observatory.

Iris follows, the drone soundlessly floating beside us as we go. The light of her hologram illuminates the night sky.

I look up at the stars again, and I remember how I looked at them with comfort back at the resort before we left. How they gave me hope that we’d be able to leave this island.

That comfort is all gone now. Sean pointing out these stars aren’t in the right pattern, and the messages from the satellite uplink did the job well.

These bright, beautiful stars are now as taunting as the sight of the volcano.

‘ _This is no longer the world you knew._ ’

“Okay, so _no one’s_ talking about what just happened?” Michelle demands.

“What is there to talk about,” Jake mutters. “We came all this damn way for nothing.”

“We still _came_ here,” Sean says. “If the satellite uplink _did_ work-”

“Well, it didn’t. End of fuckin’ story.”

“I was _talking_ about the voices,” Michelle comments. “Everyone was screaming about the volcano erupting.”

She thrusts her thumb behind her, pointing to the volcano.

“Does _that_ look like it’s erupting? I don’t think so. So what’s the deal?”

“Those voices in the uplink must’ve been fake,” Craig says. “That’s gotta be it.”

“There was no evidence to indicate the transmissions have been tampered with,” Iris speaks, for the first time since we left the observatory.

“Well…” Craig fumbles. “Maybe the volcano erupted while we were in the observatory!”

Michelle facepalms.

“The entire island would be on fire, man,” Sean says gently.

“Oh…yeah…”

“So, we have two clues that contradict themselves,” I cut in. “The voices on the transmission saying the volcano erupted, and from what we see, the volcano erupted. So, one or the other _has_ to be wrong.”

“Yes, but… _why?_ ” Grace asks. “Why would we hear people panicking like that if nothing’s happening?”

“Those voices must’ve been fake or somthin’,” Craig insists. “Some kinda prank.”

“The voices were _too_ damn real,” Jake mutters. “Trust me, _no one_ can fake terror and fear like that. And they mentioned La Huerta _specifically_.”

“Auditory analysis indicates that the following emotions were expressed in the uplink,” Iris agrees. “Fear, hopelessness, despair, horror. None that would indicate any amusement.”

“Hey, you,” Estela turns to Iris. “The volcano’s normal, so what did those voices mean?”

“Memory of previous activities have been corrupted,” Iris shakes her head. “Connection to Rourke International archives has not been found.”

“So there’s _nothing_ at all about this island you can tell us?”

“The longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of La Huerta are as follows-”

“ _Not_ what I meant.”

“Whatever the hell those voices were,” Jake sighs. “It just means we’re back at square one. And if it comes down to swimming outta here, I’m using Drax as a raft.”

“Well the longest I ever tread water was like thirty minutes- _hey!_ ”

Immediately, I remember the dream where I possessed Raj.

About how he pointed out the island’s marina.

Hope swells in my chest.

“Guys,” I decide to try to encourage them. “Even if the satellite uplink didn’t work, that doesn’t mean we should just give up. We’ll just have to find a way off the island ourselves.”

I know that alone won’t mean much, but I can’t tell them how I saw a way off the island through Raj’s eyes.

Estela might have believed me about the dream about her, but that’s only because she had a weird dream herself.

“ _Seriously?_ ” Zahra scoffs. “You’re giving us some dumb ‘sun’s gonna come out tomorrow speech’?”

“Cain’s right,” Sean insists. “The only way we’re gonna get off this island is if we keep looking for a way off.”

“The line’s a bit clichéd, I gotta admit,” Michelle smirks. “But all I know is, I’m _not_ going to die in this place.”

“If you sit and do nothing,” Estela nods approvingly. “Then that’s _exactly_ what’s going to happen.”

“Well,” Jake rolls his eyes. “Not that your little pep talk isn’t inspiring and all, Boy Scout, but the question is, _how_. How do you reckon we’ll get out of here?”

“Think about it,” I say, a good lie forming in my mind. “An island like this has to have some boats, right? We just find one, and use it to get to the mainland. Easy.”

Jake’s jaw drops.

“That…huh,” he scratches the back of his neck. “That could actually work…”

“See?” Sean looks happier than he did since we left the observatory. “ _That’s_ one of the perks of not giving up. You actually get to where you’re going, and then the detours you faced along the way don’t mean squat.”

We continue on, and everything seems a bit lighter from here. The hope I felt a few seconds ago seems to have spread to everyone else.

Even Zahra’s scowl looks more forced and I can see a slight smile in her eyes.

After about an hour of moving forwards, I find myself in the back of the group.

“What was that?”

I notice Estela is next to me, shooting me a pinning look.

“What was what-”

“You know something,” she pins me with a look.

“Um,” I scratch the back of my neck.

Estela keeps talking.

“That’s why you talked about sailing out of here. You knew something. I saw it in your eyes.”

I sigh.

It’s weird. I never had anyone call me out on my lies. Aside from Diego of course.

But he’s never blunt about it like Estela is. Most of the time he just gives me a doubting look and decides we’ll have dinner at my favorite Thai place.

Or he gets something crappy and makes me pay.

Never underestimate Diego when he’s being passive aggressive.

“I had another one of those dreams,” I explain. “I saw, well…” I decide to leave out my possessing Raj. “I saw the others at the hotel find out there’s a marina not far from the resort.”

She nods, not breaking our gaze.

“They saw it through a picture,” I keep talking out of nervousness. “Raj found the picture and recognized the volcano in it, and Aleister pulled some genius trick to find out where it is…”

Estela nods again, looking ahead this time.

“So, uh, what are you gonna do now?” I ask Estela.

She’s silent.

“I guess,” Estela shrugs. “I’ll come with you guys.”

“Really?”

“For now,” she adds.

“But why?” I ask, and realize how that sounds. “I mean, not that you’re not welcome, but you went out into the jungle for a reason.”

She shrugs again, and keeps her eyes forward.

“Hit a dead end,” is all Estela says. “No use hanging around here anymore.”

“Okay,” I smile, and she smiles back. “Glad to have you aboard.”


	34. The Escape

The lobby is as quiet as it was when we first stepped in on the first day.

Except now, everyone has something new to gape and gawk at.

“Error,” Iris says. “Visual input is registering as frozen.”

I sigh.

“No Iris, they’re just…well…staring at you.”

“So,” Quinn’s eyes dart between Iris’s holographic form and her hovering drone. “This is the observatory’s AI?”

“Not exactly,” Sean says. “She’s a backup copy Cain restored. But she doesn’t know what happened on the island.”

“It remembers _nothing?_ ” Aleister demands.

“No,” Iris says. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Michelle snorts.

“Sounds more _convenient_ to me.”

“Agreed,” Estela scowls. “How do we know she’s even telling the truth?”

“You do not,” Iris comments. “I was not programmed to have any facial tics to signal deception.”

“What, was that supposed to help us trust you or something?”

“No.”

Estela groans.

“By the way,” Michelle sighs. “I’m shocked we didn’t all get killed out there.”

“We’re fine,” Sean insists. “We handled ourselves well.”

Honestly, we were probably just lucky.

We almost died three times on the trip, but…thinking like that…or _saying_ that, wouldn’t do any good.

“Yeah,” I muster up a confident grin and nod at Sean. “We just dealt with some serious craziness out there, and we’re still all in one piece. That’s something to be proud of.”

Sean grins back.

“Damn straight.”

Michelle shakes her head.

“This is coming from a guy who played through a fractured tibia. We got lucky. Keep pushing things, and the world’s gonna push back.”

“What’s important,” Estela speaks up. “Is that Michelle has a point. The machine can’t be trusted. We should destroy it. Now.”

Iris frowns.

“Please refrain.”

Raj jumps up from the sofa he’s at.

“What? No way, dude!”

Estela moves towards Iris, and Raj steps in between them, arms outstretched.

“Out of the way Raj,” Estela’s eyes narrow at him.

“No,” Raj says stubbornly.

“Estela!” I go up beside her. “He’s got a point. Not too long ago, none of us trusted _you_ either.”

“Exactly!” Raj nods.

Estela glares.

“That was a massive gamble on your part-”

“But it paid off,” I insist. “We wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you, right? We gave you a chance, and Iris deserves the same.”

She scowls, and I see her jaw clenching as she looks away.

“Don’t be too sure that it paid off just yet.”

Still, she steps away.

“Thank you, Cain,” Iris says.

I look at her.

“You can thank me by proving me right, Iris.”

“Affirmative.”

Behind the hologram, I can see Zahra sneaking up to Iris’s drone, her eyes gleaming.

“If I could just get my hands on that golden snitch thing, I could get a look at what makes Iris tick!”

She leaps for Iris’s drone, which dodges, hovering just out of Zahra’s grasp.

“I would prefer if you did not,” Iris protests.

Zahra keeps leaping towards the drone.

“ _Just! Get! Over! Here!_ ”

“So, Cain,” Quinn walks over to me. “Those voices on the radio, you’re _sure_ that’s what they were saying?”

“My god, it’s…it’s erupting…the volcano’s erupting…”

I almost jump at the sound.

Iris’s holographic mouth is moving, but the sound of her voice is that of the panicked man.

Diego looks disturbed.

“What’s she doing…?”

“It’s what we heard,” Grace exclaims. “She must have recorded it!”

“This is unbelievable,” Iris goes to the woman we heard next. “The La Huerta volcano is erupting, but…it’s not like anything I’ve ever seen…”

She finishes with the lines from the old man.

“God help us all.”

“That’s not creepy,” Diego laughs nervously. “That’s not creepy at all…”

“Whatever,” Craig frowns. “It’s stupid! It makes no sense. The volcano hasn’t erupted, obviously.”

“ _Yet._ ”

We all turn to Grace.

“We might be hearing broadcasts that that haven’t happened yet.”

“Grace,” Aleister begins. “What are you saying…?”

“I’ve been thinking, and…there’s only one last explanation for all this. We’ve gotta face facts. Sabretooth tigers? Giant mutant crabs? A fox that breathes ice? The sun setting in the span of a few minutes? And now all _this?_ ”

I remember the lights I saw on the first day on the island. Meeting Jake’s eyes, I can tell he remembers too.

“I know it’s scary, and we want to keep telling ourselves that everything’s okay, but we can’t afford to do that anymore.”

I can feel a chill run down my spine with every word she says.

“So let’s just say it out loud, okay?” Grace swallows. “ _Time travel._ ”

Immediately, everyone begins shouting, freaking out or objecting to Grace’s claim.

Or both.

But I fall silent.

It sounds crazy, but…

…somehow, I don’t know why, but…

…I _know_ she’s right.

These visions I’ve been having, could they be the _future?_

“What matters,” I hear Sean say when I tune back to reality. “Is what do we do about it? I think the observatory proved one thing, and that’s that no help is coming for us.”

“It’s up to us, then,” I say. “We gotta find a way off the island ourselves.”

Grace nods at me.

“Cain is right. It’s just a problem, and every problem has a solution. We just have to find it.”

“Oh sure,” Jake scoffs. “Good thing we’ve got a crack team of geniuses here to deal with the situation.”

“You can’t think that way,” Quinn frowns. “I know what it’s like to want to throw in the towel, but we’re all counting on each other.”

“Uh, guys?” Raj speaks up. “There is _one_ thing we found here at the resort while you were gone.”

I see the framed picture I saw in my dream through Raj’s eyes. I make sure not to let myself show that I’m jumping for joy.

“Wait,” I feign confusion. “Is this… _here?_ ”

Estela shoots me a look.

“Yup!” Raj says proudly. “Just a few miles south!”

“It’s Mr. Rourke’s private marina,” Lila explains. “Reserved for only the resort’s most illustrious guests. Many kept their prized yachts there.”

“And if there are any left,” a grin grows across Michelle’s face.

We’re silent again for a minute.

“We know what we have to do,” Sean’s grinning to now. “Everyone, get your things. We’re getting off this rock.”

“ _Oh, yes, certainly!_ ”

Aleister’s angry voice fills the room.

“After only narrowly surviving our little jaunts to the shelter and the observatory, _why not_ wander off again?!”

“Aleister,” Sean says gently. “You can’t seriously be suggesting we stay here, after what we just talked about.”

“I’m simply asking for a little more patter recognition. We are extraordinarily fortunate to have survived this long.”

“And we’ll keep surviving,” Sean encourages.

“So you believe,” Aleister waves off. “But keep tempting fate, and eventually, we may face something we cannot survive so easily.”

With that, he storms off, leaving us again in silence.

“He’s got a point,” Craig speaks up.

We all look to him in surprise.

“I mean, every time we go and look for a way outta here, we almost get hurt. And sometimes, nix the ‘almost’. Is it, ya know…even _worth it?_ ”

“What do you suggest,” Michelle demands. “Staying on this island with things that want to kill us forever?”

“We’re safe in the hotel, ain’t we?” Craig says defensively. “We got food and everything!”

“Bro,” Sean puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “The food and clean water won’t last forever. And think about everything we’ve got waiting for us back home.”

Craig is silent for a while.

“Craig,” Grace walks up to him, smiling gently. “I’m sure you have your reasons for wanting to stay, but…is it really worth your _life?_ _All_ our lives?”

“ _Fine,_ ” he sighs, looking down. “Don’t get pissed at me if things go south though.”

“Maybe it will. but we have to try,” Grace says, determination in her eyes. “The only way we’ll have any chance of getting back home is if we keep trying. Or else, everything we did up until now will have been for nothing.”

Zahra snickers.

“That’s so fucking cheesy.”

“Uh…” Grace laughs nervously. “I suppose it’s a bit clichéd-”

“Ignore her, Grace,” Michelle pats the shorter girl on the shoulder. “You’re right. We _will_ get off this island, because we’re _not_ giving up.”

“Well?” Jake speaks up. “You all heard Maybelline and Brain Trust. Pack your bags. We’re sailing outta this five-star hellhole.” 

* * *

After I head back to my room, I can’t start packing fast enough.

I haphazardly stuff all my used clothes into my suitcase and messenger bag. I’m so busy that when a knock comes to my door, still open, I almost jump.

Quinn is standing in the doorway.

“Hey…”

“Hey…”

For a moment, we just stare at each other.

She gives me a cute smirk.

“I, um…” Quinn stammers, blushing a bit. “I’m really, _really_ glad you’re back. I’ve been thinking about you.”

My cheeks heat up.

“I’m glad I’m back too,” I chuckle.

Quinn frowns.

“I was actually pretty worried about you.”

“What, didn’t think I could handle myself?”

“Oh,” Quinn smirks. “I have no doubt you can handle quite a bit.”

Her smile fades, and she moves to the window.

Quinn gazes out to the view of the shore my window gives me.

“I can’t believe we’re leaving. I know it’s only been four days, but…”

Quinn turns to me.

“Somehow, it feels like I’ve known you forever.”

Known me forever…?

That…that sounds about accurate…

It’s the exact way I’ve been feeling since I got on the island with everyone, but I haven’t been able to put it in words.

“Do you think we’ll still talk?” Quinn asks me. “When we get back home, I mean.”

I’m not sure why, but…

…but the idea of never talking to the people I met here again…makes my heart _ache_ for some reason.

“Of course!” I flash an assuring smile. “I didn’t know any of you except for Diego before we got here, and no matter what happens, I feel like I made friends for life.”

Quinn smiles back.

“Let’s just hope that for life is a long time.”

I’m not sure if I’m imagining it, but her smile seems to get a little strained at the last word.

“Amen to that.”

Quinn shifts awkwardly, and I suddenly notice she’s carrying a small bag.

“There’s another reason I stopped by,” she lifts up the bag. “I found these really nice clothes in a suitcase a guest left behind in my suite. They must’ve been here for some mountain climbing. They’d be useful if things get dangerous out there,” Quinn smirks mischievously. “And besides, I thought they’d look really good on you.”

She hands me the bag.

Looking inside, I see a brown shirt, a white undershirt, a length of rope, cargo pants, hiking boots, and a light backpack with a knife holstered on one of its straps.

“Oh wow,” I gape at the outfit.

“I know,” Quinn nods at me. “You’d have all these tools, like the knife, the rope. There’s a compass, a survival manual, and a first aid kit in the backpack too. So no matter what happens, you’d be prepared. So? What do you think?”

“It looks awesome, Quinn,” I smile gratefully at her. “You’re the best.”

“Really?” she beams. “You like it?”

“I’ll put it on right now.”

“Oh, okay,” her cheeks go slightly red. “I’ll turn around.”

She turns away while I shrug off my current clothes and stuff them into my bag before changing.

“Alright,” I smirk. “I’m decent now.”

Quinn turns back to me.

“So? How does it feel?”

I look in the mirror.

Huh…I kinda look like an Asian Nathan Drake.

“As a matter of fact,” a grin grows on my face. “It feels amazing.”

“It looks it, too.”

Moving next to me, Quinn’s gaze meets mine in the mirror.

“So…are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I reply. “Let’s go.” 

* * *

“Are we there yet?”

“No. Stop asking.”

“Walking in this damn sand sucks ass!”

“Yeah, but sticking to the beach is safer than cutting through the rainforest.”

We’re all walking across the shoreline, towards where Aleister and Raj said the marina is.

I look over my shoulder. The Celestial’s gone, hidden behind the trees of the island.

Not that I have anything against luxury hotels…but I hope I _never_ see that place again.

“Nice knife,” I turn to see Zahra looking at me.

“Thanks,” I say.

She flicks out a rather _large_ looking survival knife.

“Mines bigger.”

“Got a weather report for us, Princess Leia?” Jake asks Iris, who’s hovering right next to him.

Iris stays silent.

“I think he’s talking to you, Iris,” Diego says.

“My designation is not Princess Leia,” she replies.

“It’s ‘cause you’re a hologram, and she was a hologram in that one scene, and…ah dammit, if you don’t remember any references, nicknames with you are gonna be friggin’ impossible.”

“Alias accepted. Princess Leia, now accessing weather scanners. High of 91 degrees. Precipitation 0 percent. Humidity 70 percent. Barometer 30.1 inches mercury. Visibility 6.2 miles.”

“AKA,” Jake grins. “Perfect weather for a boat ride outta hell-island.”

“So,” I say. “Where exactly are we sailing once we get a boat?”

“Northeast,” Jake answers. “Santa Domingo’s about 250 miles from here. Those big yachts in the marina picture definitely have the range to get us there.”

“Hey, Jake,” Diego starts. “You were in the military, right? What exactly is gonna happen to us when we get there? I mean, if this time travel crap is real, are we about to get quarantined?”

“Or thrown in the looney bin,” Zahra comments. “If we start spouting about _half_ the stuff we’ve seen, they’ll lock us up in a nuthouse.”

“What if,” Craig’s eyes light up. “We go back to like, World War II times, and we have to kill Hitler? I always wanted to kill Hitler!”

“Relax,” Jake groans. “It’ll just be the local coast guard. They’ll either let us go, or they’ll throw us in jail until we croak. One or the other.”

Diego pales a bit, and he turns to me.

“He’s just kidding, right, Cain? Tell me he’s just kidding.”

“Of course he is, Diego,” I assure him.

He laughs nervously.

“Heh…I knew that.”

Beside me, Jake rolls his eyes.

“Why,” I lower my voice. “Are you always trying to scare people?”

“Only when they _should_ be scared,” Jake replies. “You don’t think every military on the planet is gonna wanna know what we saw? What we found? Even after we get our asses outta here, that won’t mean the danger’s over.”

“How could I have been so _stupid…?_ ”

I overhear Aleister muttering to himself.

“What do you mean?” Grace asks.

“I never should have come here!” He shouts, more to himself than anyone else. “Why did I do this to myself?!”

Aleister sighs.

“Why did I think my life would somehow be better after coming here? What did I expect? I should have simply accepted things as they were.”

Accepting things as they are…?

That’s something I can’t believe in.

If I did, then I’d have stuck to the path my father wanted for me. And I never would have heeded what my sister always tried to tell me.

“Easier said than done, bro,” Craig frowns.

“Maybe,” Quinn chimes in. “But it’s worth the effort to find peace with yourself.”

“I guess,” Grace replies. “I kinda felt the same way. I wanted something else for myself, but I should’ve known not to rock the boat.”

“Better to just know your limits,” Zahra says sullenly. “Taking risks just gets you on an FBI watchlist.”

“I just want to get back home,” Michelle declares. “And have everything _exactly_ the way it was.”

“Come on, guys!” Sean speaks up. “Look where we are! Look what we’ve faced! You’re telling me you haven’t felt like you’ve grown in the last four days?”

“Grown?” Jake scoffs. “I’ve grown sick of the pep talks, Cap.”

“If you never try,” I say. “How do you ever find out what you’re capable of?”

“Famous last words,” Zahra snarks.

“That’s completely preposterous,” Aleister sneers.

“I think Cain’s right,” Sean nods at me. “Life’s a test. You have to keep pushing yourself. I don’t know what you were looking for out here, Aleister, but it doesn’t matter if you’ve found it. What matters is that you took the chance instead of not doing anything and just wondering what could have happened if you did.”

“No,” Estela speaks up. “What matters is that you succeed or _die_ trying.”

Jake snickers.

“Now _there’s_ a pep talk.”

“Look,” Sean begins. “Coach always told me, whether it’s an engineering class or a 260-pound linebacker, you’ve gotta look each and every challenge square in the eye and face it head on.”

“Was your coach around three feet tall and a motivational poster?”

“Hilarious,” Sean scowls. “Coming from a guy who takes his advice from Jose Cuervo.”

“Speaking of Jose,” Jake smirks. “If any of you kids find yourselves in Costa Rica, look me up. First round’s on…”

I see Jake’s eyes widen in shock as he looks ahead.

We’re coming around the bend, and as I see what Jake saw, I can’t bring myself to speak.

In the water, charred wood and metal bob as smoke rises, coiling in the air like a tightening noose.

Scattered all over the decks are pieces of debris.

Every boat in the marina is now nothing but rubble.

“Uh, Lila?” Raj says hesitantly. “This…doesn’t really look like the photo…”

I morbidly think of how much money these yachts cost.

Well…I guess they’re not worth too much anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I mentioned that Cain is the Asian MC, but he's actually half-Japanese in this story.


	35. The Marina

Sean steps forward and falls to his knees. His face goes slack.

“How…why…?”

“First my plane,” Jake snarls. “Now this?”

“Someone,” Estela’s eyes narrow. “Is trying awfully hard to keep us here.”

“See?!” Aleister shouts. “This is what I’m talking about! _This_ is what we get for trying!”

Grace whimpers.

“Will you shut up, Aleister?!” Michelle snaps. “You’re scaring Grace!”

Sean’s slumped to his knees and gazing numbly at the wreckage. I lay my hand gently on his shoulder.

God…after how _sure_ he seemed that we would get out of this…

…I guess even Sean can’t put on a brave face forever.

“Sean, it’s okay,” I say soothingly. “We’ll be okay. We can find a way off the island, we just have to keep looking.”

He doesn’t give any indication he hears me.

“Sean? Come on, man-”

Craig shoulders past me, and pulls Sean roughly to his feet.

“You get the hell up right now, QB,” Craig orders gruffly. “I have never, _never_ seen you accept defeat. And I ain’t about to let you start.”

Sean’s eyes widen in shock.

“Craig-”

“Do you see triple-zeroes on that clock?!” Craig continues. “No? Then this game ain’t over yet.”

Sean’s jaw clenches, and his eyes turn steely.

“You’re right. It’s not over.”

“Um, great talk and all,” Michelle begins. “But what exactly are we supposed to do now?”

“I don’t know,” Sean says. “But I know what we _won’t_ do. And that’s give up. There are answers here, we’ve just gotta find ‘em. _Something_ will tell us what we’re up against.”

We then split up, and begin searching the marina.

Or what’s left of it.

I observe a piece of floating wreckage, and my mind goes into detective mode.

Any fire’s died down, but if the place is still smoking, then these boats couldn’t have destroyed too long ago. Maybe…about a day ago?

Dammit, if only we noticed the marina sooner. We could have gotten off this damn island.

Don’t think about that right now. Focus.

The only pieces of the boats that are close to the docks are mostly the bigger chunks, still tied to the ropes. Smaller bits are floating close by, but they’re drifting off fast.

They must have just broken off the bigger chunks if they’re still close by. That means whatever’s left of the boats is falling apart quickly.

I look at the dock itself, and there are splinters of wood scattered around.

There must have been quite an explosion when the boats’ gas tanks got blown up.

Shit.

I doubt there are any boats left that are functioning. Any way to contact the outside failed too, so finding an intact radio won’t help.

That one thing that gave me hope of getting off this island after the observatory is now smoking rubble.

“Respect for the effort, dude,” I almost jump as Craig falls next to me. “Back there with Sean. But sometimes, you gotta be loud to make your point.”

“I guess,” I force a friendly chuckle. “At least you got him back up and running. So, you find anything so far?”

“Actually, yeah,” Craig leads me down the pier. “Check it.”

He brings me to a jet ski tethered to the dock.

“Huh,” I give it a good look. “It looks like it’s in good shape. Nice.”

“Yeah, but it’s almost out of gas. Nowhere near enough to get to the coast.”

Looking around at the destroyed ships, Craig shrugs.

“Guess we’re still stuck here.”

He doesn’t exactly sound too put off about that…

“Craig,” I say gently. “You still don’t want to leave, do you? Even after…everything?”

“Guess so,” he says stubbornly, looking me in the eye challengingly. “Maybe I like it here.”

I start to feel annoyed, but I remember the way he reacted when Sean talked about the two of them being famous stars. Also, on the way to the observatory, when he said he didn’t believe they’d get drafted by the same team. At the hotel when we got back too…

Suddenly…it hits me like a falling brick, and it all makes sense.

“Hey,” I put a hand on his shoulder. “I get it. I have nothing to go home to either.”

Craig’s eyes soften.

“Seriously…? No…no fam or anything…?”

“No. Not welcome with them anymore…”

“Dude, I…”

“It’s alright,” I smile. “But this place…? I can’t put my finger on it…but it’s _important_ somehow.”

“Yeah,” Craig nods. “I do. Feels like…I kinda have my whole life here, ya know?”

I nod.

“Just remember, no matter what happens, you’re not alone, okay?”

“Yeah…I know. Thanks dude.”

I nod again, and we both go our own way.

I see Lila on the deck of a pretty big yacht. Crossing over the gangway to join her, I get a better look at the yacht.

The bow is almost intact, but the ship is snapped in half, with most of it sticking in the water.

“Hey, Lila,” I say when I’m on the deck. “Find anything?”

“Not yet,” she frowns. “It’s just…weird.”

“What is?”

“I feel like I recognize this yacht.”

Heading to the middle of the ship, Lila goes to a cracked staircase leading to a partially submerged deck below.

“Hey, Lila, that place is flooded! Are you going down there?”

“I have to check something.”

Huh…if she thinks it’s important, then…

“I’ll come with you.”

“Really?” Lila beams. “Let’s go then!”

We go down the stairs and into the darkness.

The water seems like it’s rising the further we wade in. It’s almost up to my waist.

“This must’ve been the storage compartment,” Lila asserts.

We find several wooden boxes, cracked and close to a shelf.

“Let’s be careful, okay?” I say to Lila. “I’ve got a bad feeling this ship is gonna go completely under any minute now. What are you looking for, anyway?”

“Proof,” is all she says.

“Proof of what-”

“Help me with this?”

She gestures to a wooden crate.

We lift it out of the water and set it on another, sturdy looking crate.

Lila wipes brine off the label.

“There it is. This vessel’s name.”

I read the label.

“‘Daedalus’?’”

“I was right,” Lila breathes. “I _did_ recognize this ship. We’re on Mr. Rourke’s yacht.”

“What does it mean?” I ask. “Why would he leave it here?”

I can see tears welling in Lila’s eyes.

Wow…she _really_ cares about the guy.

“Lila, I’m sure he’s okay somewhere.”

She sniffs.

“Thank you, Cain. But I’m not so sure about that.”

I’m about to say we should regroup with the others, when a crack shakes the floor.

Lila screams, and the water begins to rise.

“The boat!” I cry out. “It’s going under-”

The water races above my head before I can finish.

The ship’s stern breaks off from the bow, and sinks below.

Holding my breath, I look to Lila. She’s floating beside me, with her cheeks puffed to keep air in.

I gesture to the exit. We both swim towards it, but when we get there…

… _fuck._

The exit’s blocked by the cargo net.

Not good.

I almost gasp before I stop myself. I gotta think. These ropes are too thick to tear, so I need a knife or something-

-oh god, _thank you_ , Quinn.

I pull the knife strapped to my shoulder, and immediately cut the ropes as fast as I can.

When a big enough opening is made, I grab Lila’s hand, and we both swim out.

My head plunges out of the water, and I gasp in air.

I hear Lila do the same.

We’re both alive.

We pull ourselves onto the docks, and the others come running up.

“Oh my god, _Cain!_ ”

Diego is beside me instantly, kneeling down to help me to my feet.

“Holy hell,” Jake hollers, grabbing my shoulder to keep me steady. “You two okay?”

“How’d you even make it out of there?” Sean marvels.

“It was all Cain’s quick thinking,” Lila says as Michelle helps her up. “I’d be dead right now if it weren’t for you.”

I feel myself flush.

“Thank Quinn,” I nod to her. “She’s the one who gave me the knife.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Quinn walks up to me, looking like she wants to punch me in my gut.

Instead, she hugs me.

“Me too,” Sean nods at me, patting my shoulder. “Way to keep your wits about you.”

“Gotta admit,” Jake gives a reluctant smirk. “I’m impressed. Thought you were a goner for sure.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I snark.

“Don’t mention it.”

After a while, we’re able to get everyone to stop fussing over us, and we all continue searching the marina.

I see Jake leaping from the pier and to a splintered sailboat, keeping his balance like a parkour artist.

“Whoa, careful there, Aragorn!”

“Never been careful in my life!”

Jake gets to a storage compartment, and begins rummaging through it.

“Come to papa…”

“You find somethi- _whoa!_ ”

He tosses something to me, and I catch it only barely.

I take a look at what’s in my hands, and I almost drop it in shock.

It’s a flare gun.

“Nice find! We can definitely use this!”

Jake nods, and he hops across the wreckage again to me.

“We oughta wait until we see a plane or ship.”

I nod back, and hand the gun back to Jake.

“I’m gonna keep lookin’ down the dock,” Jake says.

As he walks off, I see Diego kneeling on the dock. I walk up to him.

He’s fiddling with some kind of case covered in seaweed.

“Find something?”

Diego turns to me and shrugs.

“Maybe? It was floating over in the water. The latch is stuck though. Every fiber of my being is telling me not to open this box. That’s, like, Movies 101.”

“What’s worst that can be in there? A facehugger frim _Alien_?”

“ _Dude, why?!_ ”

“Kidding! What do you say we open it together?”

“Fine,” Diego huffs. “I’ll stand behind you when we open it though.”

The two of us team up, and begin pulling on the box’s lid.

Dammit…the thing’s pretty sturdy…

…come on…just a little…

Diego gives one last grunt before the lid pops open.

“Whoa!”

My heart seizes.

There are three more dossiers, just like the ones I found in Rourke’s office and the observatory.

The top has Quinn’s picture.

“Uh…” I look up and see Diego’s face in shock. “Why is there a picture of Quinn in here…?”

He looks through the others.

One has a picture of Michelle, and the other’s for Craig.

I decide to tell him the truth.

I owe him that much.

“They were keeping an eye on us before we came here.”

“Wait, what?!”

“Shh,” I shush him. Looking around, I see everyone busy with their own search. “They were spying on us. They picked us specifically to come here.”

“Cain… _how_ do you know about this?”

“Because I found a bunch of other files that are exactly like these.”

“They were tracking us…” Diego’s eyes fill with hurt. “You knew, and you didn’t say _anything?_ ”

“I…” I push down the guilt. “I wanted to give everyone their file in private, but with everything going on, I never had the chance. Diego, that’s the truth. I _swear._ ”

I meet his eyes, and silently plead with him to believe me.

“Did you find my file?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you read it?”

“Yeah…”

“What did it say?”

“Nothing you don’t know,” I say, but curse myself when I remember how lowly Diego’s file spoke of him. “No, it’s…”

I sigh.

“Diego, I _promise_ you I’ll give you your file and give everyone else theirs too, okay?”

“Good,” Diego mutters, and begins to walk off.

“Hey,” I call out to him.

He stops, and turns his head briefly.

“You…you believe me, right?”

 _Please,_ Diego, just believe me…

You’re the closest thing I have to family. I’d never bear it if you ended up hating me.

“I _do_ , I just…” he runs a hand through his hair. “We should keep searching.”

Diego walks off.

I stuff the files in my bag, not bothering to read them.


	36. The Sea Monster

“Everybody!” Grace’s voice grabs my attention. “Come here, quick!”

Soon, we’re all at the pier Grace is on.

Tied to the dock is something under a tarp.

Hope swells in my chest, and I have a good feeling what it is before Grace pulls off the tarp.

It’s a speedboat.

“A high-performance runabout,” says Iris. “Visual analysis indicates a Neptune-class model 2850.”

“And it’s completely intact,” Grace points out. “It looks almost brand new. For some reason, this one is okay when everything else here is destroyed, but…”

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Short Stuff,” Jake remarks, his eyes gleaming.

“ _Pretty_ sure the Trojans would feel differently about that,” Diego frowns.

“What about the keys?” Sean asks.

Grace shakes her head. Sean gives a hopeful look to Zahra.

She glares.

“Are you ‘telling’ me to hotwire it?”

“ _No_ ,” Sean holds his hands up peacefully. “I’m not telling you anything. You do exactly as you please.”

Zahra glares at him a little more.

“You’re goddamn right I will.”

Flicking out her knife, Zahra hops onto the speedboat. We wait for a few minutes in silence as she works.

I glance over at Diego. He catches my gaze, and I smile hesitantly. He smiles back, but it’s much more strained.

Ah, fuck me.

Suddenly, the sound of the speedboat’s engine fills the air.

“Hell yeah,” Jake grins. “Alright, what’s the range, Blue Girl Group? Can it reach the Dominican Republic?”

Iris is silent.

Jake sighs.

“I mean _you_ , Iris.”

“I see. On a full tank of gas, yes.”

Jake hops onto the speedboat and checks the gas tank.

He grimaces.

“Well, it’s got gas, but not completely full. So it might make it…but it might also stall out in the middle of the Caribbean and we die.”

“Who’s the ‘we’ in this situation?” Diego asks. “Because, to fit everyone, uh…we’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

“You’re right,” I say. “A couple of us should go and bring back help.”

“That’s a huge gamble,” Diego replies. “Like Jake said, it might not even reach safe haven.”

We all stand awkwardly, silent.

Sean suddenly steps up, pulling his shirt off, and hops into the boat.

“I’ll do it. I’ll be back with rescue before you know it.”

“Easy, Magellan,” Jake scoffs. “You’d get lost within a mile.”

He then takes off his own shirt.

“Be my guest,” Sean shrugs. “Anybody else? We have room for a third.”

His eyes fall to me. Sean doesn’t say anything, but it looks like he wants to.

“What do you say, Boy Scout?” Jake asks. “Fancy a spin in a speedboat with me and Steve Rogers over here?”

Sean rolls his eyes.

“It’s a risk, but no one can blame you if-”

“I’ll do it.”

Three times we thought we had a way off the island, and every time, the island gave us the finger.

But dammit, there’s no way we’re going back home if we just give up.

I don’t know why, but I _need_ to see this thing through.

They both help me into the boat.

“Whelp,” Zahra speaks up. “It was nice knowin’ ya.”

“Zahra!” Lila scolds.

“Cain!” Diego calls out.

I turn to him hopefully.

“Watch yourself over there, okay? And…don’t forget about us.”

I smile confidently at him.

“We’ll be back soon. I promise.”

Sean takes the throttle, and guides the speedboat out of the inlet.

I keep my eyes on the others back on the marina as they keep getting farther from my view.

“They’ll be fine,” Jake pats my shoulder. I turn to see him looking comfortable in his seat. “Now, we’ve got about three hours of nothing but flat ocean ahead. If you want some sunscreen, I’ve got it in my bag.”

“Thanks, I’ll take it,” Jake nods at me, handing me the plastic bottle.

I start applying it, rubbing it on my arms.

“Sure you don’t need any help with that?” Jake waggles his eyebrows.

“Um,” I blush. “I got it.”

“Well, if you need an extra pair of hands,” he winks at me.

I start rubbing sunscreen on my face, trying to hide how red I’m getting.

“Quit teasing Cain, Jake,” Sean scolds.

“Now that you mentions it, I bet Capsicle could cover a lot more area, dontcha think?”

“I…” Sean himself blushes, and gets back to driving the boat.

I finish with the sunscreen, and I lie down on my seat. My gaze goes towards the horizon, watching where the blue of the sea meets that of the sky.

Huh. It’s pretty nice.

All of a sudden, I feel a shiver up my spine.

The wind picks up, and the light of the sun darkens. I look to see it behind a dark cloud.

No… _several_ dark clouds.

Holy shit, the whole damn sky is covered.

“What’s happening?” I ask nervously.

“Storms rolling in fast,” Jake scowls. The boat begins rocking harder as we hit a few waves.

“See that?” Sean points to the sky.

In the clouds overhead, I see…

No fucking way.

Orange lightning.

Just like our flight in here.

I turn to Sean and Jake. They’re faces are grim.

When I look at the water ahead, I can feel the blood drain from my face.

A massive crater opens in the ocean, water swirling at its walls.

“ _Look out!_ ”

They both look where I’m looking.

“ _Whirlpool!_ ” Jake yells.

In the depths, I can make out something…

…something is moving around in the water.

Something _big._

“There’s something in there!”

The minute those words leave my lips, the thing tears out of the whirlpool.

…Oh my fucking god…

A _massive_ , blue head on a long, serpentine neck rises from the water. On its eyeless face are curved horns, long feelers, and a big glowing esca.

The monster towers above the whirlpool, probably at the height of a skyscraper. Its mouth opens, revealing rows of needlelike teeth forming a horrifying grin.

It roars, and _holy fucking shit_ , that sound is like nothing I ever heard before. Nothing from any monster movie or from _Jurassic Park_.

Lightning crackles on the edge of its maw.

A wave hits the boat, and I suddenly realize I’m shaking.

Not because of the cold though.

“Sweet mother of god,” Sean gasps.

“ _SwerveswerveSWERVE!_ ” Jake shrieks.

Sean jerks hard on the wheel, right as the monster dives towards us.

It takes everything in me not to scream until my throat bleeds, and I hang on to my seat.

The monster’s plunging into the water, right where we were.

… _oh god oh god oh god oh god_ …

A huge wave comes up and smashes into the side. It almost tips the boat over, but miraculously, we make it.

“We all good?!” Sean hollers.

“For now!” Jake answers.

I can see the monster swimming out into the water, and turning around.

Lightning flashes, and…

…oh my god.

That flash of lightning just lit up the monster’s form beneath the water…

…and there’s at least another skyscraper of sea serpent under the waves.

Maybe two.

Rumbling growls can be heard from the giant blue form.

“We have to run!” I shout. “Get back to the island!”

“You really think we can outrun this thing?” Sean asks incredulously.

“The way that thing swims?” Jake scoffs. “No fucking way. Besides…I never back down from a good fight.”

“Are you crazy?!” I yell. “Maybe we can’t outrun it, but what makes you think we can honestly _fight_ it?”

“All I know is killing that thing’s the only way to get off this island.”

“Jake’s right,” Sean grits his teeth. “And if we don’t stop that thing now, it’ll come for our friends next.”

He makes a good point.

Instinctively, I look back to the shore.

I see everyone frozen in place, looking at the scene.

“We gotta do it,” Sean continues. “For _them._ ”

Shit.

Caught between a rock and a hard place.

Either we try to run away from a fast moving sea monster…

…or we, ants compared to a fucking _Megaladon_ , try to fight it.

Choices can really suck sometimes…

“Fuck it,” I growl, forcing a bravado. “You’re right. There’s no running. Either that thing goes down…or we do.”

Hopefully anything but the latter.

“So let’s go fishing.”

The monster rises again, and moves forward to dive at us.

Sean swerves at the last moment, missing it by a hair.

We struggle to hold on as the boat shakes and rattles.

“What are we supposed to fight this thing with?” Sean shouts over the noise of the wind and thunder. “Don’t suppose anyone’s got a giant fish hook.”

“All I’ve got is a flare gun,” Jake answers. “And it won’t make a dent against Nessie over here.”

“I’ll check in the back,” I say, pointing to a chest in the back of the boat. “Just keep holding that thing off!”

I feel Sean swerving and turning as I carefully make my way to the chest.

Opening it, I don’t see anything useful. There’s a fishing tackle, a gas can, a life jacket…

…dammit…if there’s nothing else, then maybe somehow dousing the monster with gas is our only-

-holy shit.

Yellow plastic wrapped around something solid, duct tape is wrapped several times around the object, red and yellow wires running across.

I’ve seen enough movies to know what this thing is.

“Uh, guys?”

I turn to them, holding the object with both my hands.

They turn, and both gasp.

“Is that…” Sean gapes. “What I think it is?!”

“If you think it’s a half-kilo of Semtex, then yeah,” Jake says with wide eyes.

“I take it that means a bomb?” I laugh nervously.

“Yeah,” Jake frowns. “And I guess we know what happened to the boats at the marina.”

“They were blown up,” I answer.

“This one must’ve had a bad detonator,” Jake answers. “Failed to go off.”

I hear a massive splash.

I look to see the monster diving beneath the raging water, it’s massive form flickering with orange lightning.

Suddenly, I feel a rush of determination replace my fear. I feel… _angry_.

It’s like that monster’s existence is personally offending me.

I’m not hesitant anymore. I _know_ I can take this bastard down.

Okay, so we have a bomb. If we wait for the monster to get close either it or the bomb will get us too…maybe…

…I look at Sean, and Jake.

“Guys,” I say, looking them both in the eyes. “I have an idea. Sean, if we get up close to it, like, _real_ close, could you use those football skills to throw the bomb in the monster’s mouth?”

Sean’s eyes widen.

“That’s…one hell of a long throw at a moving target…”

He looks back to the half-submerged form of the monster.

“But…yeah, I can.”

“And Jake,” I turn to him. “If it was in, could you detonate it with a shot from the flare gun?”

Jake grins.

“I was the best damn shot in my deployment, in or out of the cockpit. If anyone can do it, it’s me.”

“Okay, Cain,” Sean speaks up. “This has to be the single most insane plan I have heard in my entire life…”

Believe me, _I’m_ questioning my sanity right now.

But honestly, I’m overcome with the desire to see the monster killed too much to care.

“ _Let’s do it,_ ” I hear Sean speak.

I grin at him.

The monster rises from the water, a few hundred feet away, and it tenses up, preparing to charge.

“Cain,” Sean turns to me. “Take the wheel. Keep the boat steady. Get us up real close, and when I give the word, swerve.”

“Got it,” we switch places, and I hand him the bomb before taking the wheel.

Here goes nothing.

I hold the wheel and direct the boat straight for the monster.

Suddenly, it rears back and sends a spray of seawater our way.

I sputter and blink the water out of my eyes, but I keep the wheel steady.

“Good!” I hear Sean. “Keep her steady…”

The monster roars that god-awful roar again, lighting charging at its maw, and for a second, all that anger wavers.

Fuck… _what am I doing?!_

I’m not some action hero!

Oh god, we’re getting closer…

I need to swerve.

But fuck…I can’t move.

I almost shriek when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

“Cain, you got this!” Jake shouts. “We wouldn’t be countin’ on you if we didn’t know that.”

“I’m trying…”

I suck in air, and I put every ounce of willpower in keeping the wheel steady.

The electricity between the monster’s teeth is growing, spreading like a disease.

When I look back into that enormous maw, all the hate comes back, replacing the fear.

“ _NOW!_ ”

The signal!

Immediately, I swerve to a hard right, out of the monster’s path.

“ _SEAN! NOW!_ ” I yell.

He lets out a fierce cry, and when I turn, the bomb is flying out of his hands.

It sails in a perfect arc…

…and right between the monster’s teeth!

“SHOOT JAKE!”

The boat’s cutting through the waves, the storm rages, and the monster roars. But I’m still able to hear Jake.

“Don’t forget to floss, dipshit.”

The flare streaks directly towards the monster, towards its teeth…

…it’s headed to the bomb…

…holy fucking shit this is _working._

An explosion takes over the monster’s face.

When it clears, I see it falling back into the sea, a good chunk of its jaw missing.

It worked.

We took that fucking thing down!

I bring the boat to a stop.

“We did it,” I whisper to myself, and immediately, I begin to giggle like a child. “ _We did it!_ ”

“We really did,” Sean marvels, his mouth agape.

“That actually worked,” Jake is no better off.

The two of them look at each other for a moment, and then fist-bump.

“Damn, flyboy,” Sean grins. “That was some good shooting.”

“Couldn’t have done it without that power arm, QB,” Jake returns the grin.

Of course, I’m still giggling and jumping around without a shred of dignity. And I’m _fucking entitled_ to.

“Can we _seriously_ take a moment to appreciate that we just took down a giant sea monster!”

I can hear wild yelling from far away. I turn back and see everyone back at the marina cheering.

Raj, Craig, and Grace are jumping up and down, and next to them I can make out Furball’s blue form following suit.

I’m about to tell Sean and Jake that we should head back and wait out the storm, but the water starts rumbling.

“What the hell,” I peek over the side, and I can see a faint light…

…a faint light that’s growing.

The water rumbles again, an unnatural sound.

“Guys…?” I look at Sean and Jake.

“What’s happening?” Sean asks.

“I don’t-”

Jake gets interrupted…

…by a pillar of light the shoots up from the water right under our boat.

I’m flying through the air, and I don’t even have the time to scream before I’m in the water with a hard crack.

For a moment, a cold darkness is my reality…

…and then everything clears up.

I’m under the water.

Instinctively, I try to swim up…

…wait a minute…

Something’s… _pulling_ me down.

I swim harder, but I just…can’t…

The light from beyond the water’s surface is getting darker.

No…

No, not like this.

I can’t hold my breath any longer…

I don’t wanna die, please, not now.

My panic increases as I cry out noiselessly in the water, letting loose some air bubbles.

Far off, I see two other bodies, Sean and Jake.

They’re sinking too.

I’m so sorry guys…

…dammit, we should have ran.

_Why didn’t we run?!_

We could have been back on shore,

This is all my fault.

My mind’s getting foggy. It’s getting harder to be afraid of dying, to regret my desicions…

I try, with one last futile attempt to swim up…

My eyes close, and soon…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

…everything becomes nothing…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.


	37. La Huerta Island Theater: Cessation

If you were to ask me what death was like…

…I’d have to disappoint you.

I don’t remember anything after dying. Just a dreamless sleep, making it seem like a second between when I went to sleep and when I woke up-

-whoops. Getting ahead of things again. How silly of me.

It’s odd, how there can be two events in one’s life where everything in between is so unimportant it almost doesn’t exist!

On gravestones, underneath the deceased’s name, is the birthday, followed by the day they kicked the bucket.

In between those two dates, is just a line. A dash.

Is that what your entire life is reduced to? A dash in between those two dates?

It doesn’t matter how many lives you touch in life. Because soon, _those_ lives will be snuffed out too. And everything that was you, every memory, will dissolve into nothingness.

Am I being cynical?

In the myths, Time is a cruel sociopath. Time castrated his own father and took his place as king of the gods.

Time also devoured his own children and made his wife watch.

And Time most _definitely_ doesn’t care about lowly humans that get caught up in the cold fucker’s game.

So why the hell shouldn’t you want to spend the rest of your days partying and frolicking? What’s Time ever done for you?


	38. The Vision

Everything’s…dark…

…there’s a sound in the distance…

…it’s familiar…

…it’s almost like…

…I feel a cool breeze, and suddenly, I feel something warm beneath me…the sand…

“ _Cain…_ ”

…in the distance, I can hear the sound of someone calling my name…

“ _Get up. You don’t get to die yet._ ”

…suddenly, I remember everything.

Sitting up, a scream gets choked into a gasp.

My eyes take a while to adjust to the sun, but soon, I can see where I am.

I’m on a beach.

It’s not the one at the resort…

…honestly, I don’t even remember _seeing_ this beach before.

This doesn’t look like anywhere we’ve been to on the way to the marina…

I look down, and I see waves crashing against my legs before I realize I’m soaking wet.

Dark green masses around my ankles. I take a closer look and-

_Oh shit!_

I get up, all but shrieking.

It’s a tangle of seaweed.

All the runs through my mind is when Quinn got dragged down into the water by that stuff…

I gaze out into the distance.

The ocean’s blue and the sky is clear.

There’s no sign of the giant monster anywhere.

“Fuck,” I mutter.

I’m lost on a dangerous island, I have no idea where anyone is…

But I’m alive.

Even after almost drowning in the sea and getting eaten by a sea monster, I’m _alive_.

A laugh escapes my mouth, and before I know it, I’m giggling like a madman.

I’m alive, I’m _seriously fucking alive!_

“Cain!”

At the sound of Jake’s voice, I immediately sober up, and I turn.

I see him _and_ Sean in the distance, running towards me.

They’re okay!

“You made it!” Sean rushes over, and he envelopes me in a bear hug.

I return the hug, burying my face in his chest and enjoying his warmth. I can’t stifle down relieved laughter that’s bordering on crying.

When we finally pull away I…

Ah.

He’s still shirtless.

And so is Jake.

I start blushing.

“So, um, I guess we’re all okay. But what the hell even happened?”

“I have no idea,” Sean frowns. “Last thing I remember, I was getting pulled down into the water…”

“And then nothing,” Jake finishes.

“And we woke up on the beach,” I say.

They nod in confirmation.

“Doesn’t make any damn sense,” Jake scowls.

“Nothing about this island makes sense,” I mutter. “But honestly, I’m just glad we’re all alive.”

“I’m with you,” Jake nods. “With everything that’s happened out here, I’m not sure what to believe.”

“So what do we do now?” Sean asks. “Either of you have any idea where we are?”

Jake squints against the sun, and places a hand over his eyes.

“I’d say we’re at the west side of the island. Hard to say more than that. Damn trees are too thick.”

“Let’s fan out and look around,” Sean asserts. “See if we can find our way back.”

With that, we split up, making sure not to get out of each other’s sights.

I walk down the beach, and I keep a safe distance from the water’s edge.

I take my mind off of… _everything_ , by focusing on every detail of the beach instead. I go into detective mode, thinking about every detail on the sand.

Nothing on the beach’s floor is gonna help us get out of here, I know that. But if I think about everything that happened, I might lose my fucking mind.

I need to follow my own advice, and stop trying to understand alien ground.

After all, this is no longer the world I knew.

Suddenly, I hear a voice.

I look, and hear soft whispering beneath me.

Following the voice, I see a glittering, multicolored seashell sticking out of the sand.

It’s almost like…

…like the whispers are coming from the shell…

“Give me a fucking break,” I whine aloud.

I lift the shell up, and-

“ _Koshtak…zarr…ballo…_ ”

“What the hell…”

I almost drop the shell.

“Whatcha got there?”

I almost jump right out of my skin.

“Whoa! Easy,” I turn, and see Jake holding his hands up in peace, with Sean next to him.

“Are you alright, Cain?” Sean asks.

I open my mouth to speak…

…I think it’ll be easier to show them.

Wordlessly, I hold out the seashell.

It starts speaking, but this time, my voice comes out.

“ _What the hell…what the hell… what the hell…_ ”

“Hang on,” I say. “That’s _not_ what it was doing before…”

“Okay, Boy Scout,” Jake gapes at me and the shell. “ _Please_ tell me you’re some kinda ventriloquist…”

“ _You’re some kinda ventriloquist… You’re some kinda ventriloquist…_ ”

“That’s incredible,” Sean marvels. “Hang on to that thing, Cain. Might come in handy.”

“Sure,” I say, and force a laugh. “If anything, Raj’ll get a kick out of it.”

Stuffing the shell into my bag, I’m thankful I decided to splurge a few extra dollars on a waterproof one.

“Anyway,” Jake speaks up. “I think I got my bearings. The resort should be just a short hike this way,” he points further into. “Let’s move.”

We trek further along the shore. A few minutes in, I can’t take it anymore.

“So,” I try not to sound as freaked out as I am. “What do you think that thing in the ocean was?”

“What, Nessie,” Jake asks. “Or that weird hallelujah light show that totaled the boat?”

“Either…”

“Ain’t gonna pretend what the second is, but the first ain’t much other than a big ass sea monster.”

“I gotta say,” Sean starts. “I went through a pretty big dinosaur phase as a kid, but I don’t think I ever saw anything that looked like _that_.”

Jake shrugs.

“Yeah well, I’m pretty sure I never heard of Crabbus Gigantus either. Want my theory? I think those things were _man-made_. Experiments. Biological weapons.”

Sean lets out a laugh that sounds too forced.

“Come on, man, that’s a little tin-foil, even for you. I mean, why would Rourke-”

Jake immediately raises his fist in the air, like he did when-

Oh shit.

I look at Sean, and he gets the memo too.

We’re not alone.

“Listen, in the trees,” Jake whispers. “Someone’s coming.”

I look to the trees, and…

…I hear it. The soft sound of footsteps.

My blood runs cold, and I go deathly still.

Jake turns to us, nods at me, and starts crouching down low.

I follow his suit.

“Am I missing something?” Sean asks, whispering. “Shouldn’t we let our friends know we’re here?”

“You’re assuming those _are_ our friends,” Jake doesn’t take his eyes off of where we’re hearing the footsteps.

“Aren’t you…?”

“I _never_ assume.”

With a rustle, the trees part, and…

…oh my god.

Two tall… _figures_ emerge.

I say ‘figures’ because one look at them, and there’s nothing that can convince me they’re human.

One has blue skin, a man, the other is light green, a woman. They’re dressed in leaves that cover their privates, and I can see tattoos swirl across their bodies.

The blue one is wearing a mask shaped like an owl’s head, the green one’s is a skull. I can see yellow eyes peek from the masks’ eye holes.

The blue one is holding a long sword, made of amber. The green has a pair of daggers.

Amber weapons…

…holy shit, the arrowhead…

“Who…” Sean speaks first. “Who are…?”

“Should we run?” I choke out.

“Too late for that,” Jake mutters.

“What do we do?”

“Hope they’re friendly. Fight like hell if they’re not.”

The green one turns back into the jungle, and starts speaking in a language I don’t understand.

Another one emerges, taller and more muscular than the other two…

…fuck.

He’s wearing the lion mask.

The _same_ lion mask I saw in my vision of the volcano.

“How…” I gape. “How is this…?”

The one in the owl mask walks towards me, keeping his sword pointed in my direction.

He starts speaking, and the tone of his voice does _not_ sound happy.

Lion-Mask says something, and shoves past the other, towards me…

…what the hell…

…there’s a rush of dream static, and it feels more… _present_ …more solid…

It’s like there’s an _itching_ in my thoughts…

Lion-Mask starts repeating the same phrase over and over.

“Dell ast partico. Dell…ast partico.”

Suddenly, images flash through the static, and like a TV channel suddenly it’s clear as day.

I see an open palm, then a sheathed sword, and a knee in the sand.

“Dell ast partico!” Lion-Mask says, more forcefully.

“Look, Legolas,” Jake snaps. “We don’t speak your damn language!”

“Wait,” I speak up, softly. I suddenly get what the images mean. “I think they want us to surrender.”

“You serious?”

“Trust me.”

I raise my hands in the air, and drop to my knees.

“Dell ast partico,” I repeat.

Lion-Mask nods.

“Dell ast partico,”

“Some day,” Jake says, as he’s kneels with me. “You’re gonna have to tell me how you knew that.”

“Never doubt Cain,” Sean smirks.

The three of us are all kneeling in the sand.

Owl and Skull two join Lion-Mask’s side. Skull raises her daggers and scrape them together.

She speaks, sounding eerily calm.

Lion-Mask replies to her, and…

…another image flashes through the static.

I’m staring at my own body, lying in blood covered sand.

My throat is slit wide open, and my eyes stare at the sky in horror.

I scream, doubling back, now lying in the sand.

“Cain!” Sean gets up, rushing to my side. “What’s wrong?”

“I…” I can barely speak. My heart’s in my throat and I feel all the blood drain from my face. “I think they…they want to…”

Lion-Mask steps towards me.

I want to run, I want to scream again, but I feel like I’m frozen in place.

The static starts intensifying, getting stronger, almost painful, and I can feel something deep within…some kind of clarity…

I suddenly understand.

He’s trying to get inside my mind.

“Say the word, Cain,” Jake growls.

“Hold on,” I say.

I don’t want to be anywhere near these…things.

But if we don’t cooperate, they’ll kill us.

Lion-Mask steps forward, and reaches out a hand towards me.

The static starts to get overwhelming, and somehow, I know…

…he’s trying to communicate through our _minds_.

Closing my eyes, I suck in a breath as I feel Lion-Mask’s hand touch my forehead.

Immediately, blood pounds in my ears, and my vision is covered with dark spots.

It feels like everything in my body is at once hot and cold, sizzling and electrifying…

I almost scream, but it comes out as more of a groan.

Falling forward in the sand, the feeling fades.

I gasp in a breath of air.

“Cain!” I hear Jake’s voice. “What did he do to you?! I’ll kill him if he-”

“Wait,” I croak. “Just…wait…”

More images rush through my mind.

…a city built into trees, held together by vines…

…a woman, her face hidden behind a veil…

…a figure in a red spacesuit, walking across the beach…

“Oh my god…”

Lion-Mask steps back, and…

“ **Mind Talker,** ” he says.

…he’s speaking, but…with two voices.

One is in the unknown language, and the other…

…with his _mind_.

“That’s…that’s me?” I ask, getting up.

“ **This should be impossible…** ”

Despite the situation, I laugh.

“Nothing about this oughta be possible…”

“I’m sorry,” Jake speaks up. “Did I miss something? Do you _understand_ these guys?”

“I can’t explain it,” I answer. “It’s like…he’s in my head…”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Sean frowns.

Skull whispers something to Lion-Mask, who shakes his head and gestures to Sean.

“ **The Eagle.** ”

“Say what now?” Sean asks.

Lion-Mask gestures at Jake next.

“ **The Wolf.** ”

“Go _lupus_ yourself, Papa Smurf!”

“Jake,” I mutter.

Lion-Mask turns to me.

“ **But who are you?** ”

“Uh, my name is Cain,” I answer.

He shakes his head.

“ **No. Not what I meant.** ”

Skull barks something angrily, thrusting a dagger my way.

Another images flashes through my mind, and once again, I see my own dead body.

This time, with an amber dagger in my chest, and rivulets of blood erupting from it.

“Listen,” I say hurriedly. “We don’t mean you any harm-”

“ **All men of the Hydra bring harm,** ” Lion-Mask scoffs.

 _Hydra?_ What the hell does he mean?

“We’re not…we’re not with ‘the Hydra’…”

“You following this, QB?” Jake asks. “Because I’m lost.”

“I don’t know,” Sean says. “But I trust Cain.”

“Yeah,” Jake sighs. “If anyone can talk our way out of this, it’s him.”

“Look,” I tell Lion-Mask. “Whatever you want, whatever I can do to convince you, just tell me, okay?”

“ **You must come with me.** ”

“ _What?!_ ” I almost yell. “Me?”

“ **All of you.** ”

“What’d he say?” Sean asks.

“He wants us to come with him…. _all_ of us.”

“Like fuck-” Jake growls, but Sean puts a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t know if we have a choice, Jake,” he says gently. “Something tells me Skull Kid over here is good with those knives…”

She speaks, as though confirming Sean.

“ **Yes,** ” Lion-Mask’s thoughts reach my head. “ **You come with us, or you die here.** ”

“But why?” I plead. “Why is it so important we come with you?”

Lion-Mask steps back, and presses two fingers to his temple…

The entire world flashes white, and then, I see it…

I’m looking at the entire planet, from space.

I can hear Lion-Mask’s voice.

“ **If you don’t come…** ”

Suddenly, I see an explosion in the middle of the ocean, and…

…fire consumes the whole world.

The scene melts away, and I’m back on the beach.

I gasp, and almost fall over.

“What is it, Cain?” Sean asks me.

“It was…I mean…it…”

I stammer, before getting back on point.

“Guys, I really think we should go with him. If we don’t, then…I think something bad will happen. _Really_ bad.”

“How bad?” Jake asks.

“… _apocalypse_ bad.”

Sean and Jake look at each other.

“Alright,” Jake sighs. “This is all crazy to me, but I’ll follow your lead, Cain.”

Sean nods.

“Same.”

Skull turns away, her arms folded angrily, like she’s disappointed we’re not dead.

Jesus, who _are_ these people?!

Lion-Mask extends his hand to me.

I reach out to take it-

“GET AWAY FROM THEM!”

Craig charges down the beach from the jungle, a massive rock in his hand.

“Craig no!”

He’s already in motion, hurling the rock right at Lion-Mask’s head…

It knocks his mask clean off, and breaks it in two.

His face is eerily humanlike, aside from the yellow eyes and long pointed ears. A scar runs across his right eye.

Skull roars, and slashes her daggers at Craig, cutting one of his arms.

Craig howls in pain, and Sean runs over to them instantly.

He dives forward, and grabs Skull by the waist. He tackles her down in the sand, and the daggers fall out of her grip.

Owl raises his sword, but Jake moves in one fluid motion, rolling across the beach. He grabs a driftwood log, and smashes it across Owl’s head.

Lion-Mask stares directly at me.

He fumes, gritting his teeth, revealing elongated incisors.

“ **Traitor.** ”


	39. The Cellar

“Come on, Cain! _RUN!_ ”

Jake grabs me by the arm, and before I know it, we’re running to the jungle.

Sean springs up and runs after us, Craig in tow as he clutches his bloody arm.

“Go go _GO!_ ”

Before she’s out of my vision, I see Skull scrambling to her feet.

We pass into the trees, Raj and Michelle waiting for us.

“Come on!” Michelle shouts. “Run!”

“Before they catch up!” Raj hollers.

We’re sprinting through the jungle, and I briefly guess it’s the direction where the hotel is.

I don’t dare look back, but I can hear shouts in the unknown language a fair distance from us.

“Who the hell were those people?!” Craig demands as we all run.

“Ask Cain!” Jake snaps. “He’s the one who mind-melded with them!”

“He what in the who-now?”

“ _Shut up and keep running!_ ”

We keep sprinting, and I barely duck under low-hanging branches and jump high roots as we’re evading the weird elf-people.

Running through a thick bush, I almost let out a relieved sob as the Celestial is in view.

Everyone else is standing just inside the metal gates of the resort.

“What’s happening?!” Quinn calls out.

“ _The gate!_ ” Sean shouts. “ _Open the gate! Now!_ ”

Estela and Lila pull the gate open, and we all race through. They close the gate promptly after.

That’s it then.

We’re safe.

I almost collapse, ready to pass out.

God…how long did I fucking sprint…?

I look over, and see Sean, Jake, and Michelle hunched forward, catching their breath.

Craig and Raj are on the ground.

“Are we good?” Raj wheezes. “Are we safe?”

“Safe from what?!” Quinn demands. “What _happened_ out there?”

I look through the bars…

Through the green, I can make out yellow eyes glaring at me.

The static comes.

Through it, Lion-Masks thoughts reach me.

“ **You cannot hide. You cannot run. We _will_ take you…we _must_.** ”

All it takes is a blink, and any presence of him is gone from my mind.

“Would someone,” Grace’s voice comes up. “ _Please_ tell me what’s going on here?”

“The enemy is out there,” Jake says grimly.

He looks to me, and I nod.

“And they’re coming for us.” 

* * *

 

A few hours later, after patching up Craig and catching our breath, we’re all on the rooftop of the Celestial. The only sound to be heard is the running water of the garden’s waterfall.

Sean’s next to me, scanning the area through binoculars. Jake and Estela are doing the same, in different parts of the rooftop.

We went to the marina to find a way out of here, and we came back with a bunch of blue elves from _Avatar_ that want to kill us.

I’m starting to seriously hate this island.

“Any sigh of them?” I whisper.

It takes a while for him to answer.

“I think we’re safe.”

“For now,” Jake adds. “Cain heard what they said. They’re coming for us.”

“They why are they leaving us alone now?” Grace asks.

“The sun’s going down,” Estela says. “They could be waiting ‘til dawn.”

“I’m sorry,” Michelle speaks up. “But who exactly were they? _What_ even were they?!”

I remember their pointed ears, the vibrant hues of their skin, and their yellow eyes.

Yellow, like a predator’s. Like a creature of the night.

Those ears, they’ve gotta be good for hearing.

And those teeth, those long canine teeth-

_-all the better to eat you with-_

“I saw them for a second through the trees,” Quinn says. “They seemed pretty human to me.”

“And stylish,” Diego says jokingly. “What were they doing wearing masquerade masks?”

Masquerade masks…

…for some reason, that word sticks out…

Forget it. I’ve got bigger priorities.

“I think they’re the island’s inhabitants,” I say.

Zahra snorts.

“Oh my gosh, really?” she asks sarcastically. “The people inhabiting the island are the inhabitants? Wow, you’re real smart!”

“Gee thanks,” I mutter. “But guys,” I turn to Jake and Sean. “Remember the weapons they had? It was made of _amber_.”

They both nod.

I turn to Estela, and she has a look of recognition.

“Cain and I found an amber arrowhead in the giant crab,” she explains, pulling it out of her pocket, holding it up. “If it’s from them, then it’s clear they’ve been here a while.”

“Estela’s right,” Lila says. “I just don’t know how nobody noticed them before.”

“Maybe they _have_ ,” Zahra asserts. “Cain, you remember the video on the computer? Rourke talking about an attack from ‘the Hostiles’? And he said they ‘did’ something to a guy’s brain…that’s gotta be that weird telepathy thing they did to you!”

“So they _were_ noticed,” Michelle says.

“Another thing,” Jake speaks next. “Is that they’ve been watching us for a long time. They seemed to know me. _And_ Sean.”

“Well,” Craig growls. “Whoever these…these ‘Watchers’ are, they’re coming for us. And we’ll be ready.”

“Craig’s right,” Sean nods. “We’ve gotta barricade ourselves in. Block the entrance. Gather weapons, anything we can use to protect ourselves.”

“Oh sure, great plan!” Michelle scoffs. “ _Then_ what? We just established that we’ve got _no_ help coming, and a giant sea monster that won’t let us leave.”

“Current analysis does project a 0.4% chance of survival,” Iris’s mechanical voice comes.

“Even if we fight them off once,” Grace says sadly. “We can’t hold them off or run from them forever…like Lila said, they’ve been here longer, and there’s got to be more of them…”

“It doesn’t matter,” I say, fighting down my fear in the place of determination. “I’m _not_ giving up. Even if the odds are stacked up against us, the only other option is to quit and wait for death. And that’s _never_ an option for me.”

“I cannot say your rationale is logically sound,” Iris comments. “Weighted calculations suggest the best option to be ‘Capitulate and Welcome Death’.”

“Who fucking programmed this thing?!” Zahra demands.

“Either way,” I keep talking. “We can’t lose hope, because that, and our wit and will is all we’ve got now.”

“Right,” Grace nods. “We can’t let pessimistic assumptions cloud our thinking!”

“I’m with Cain on this too,” Michelle steps up. “I’m not going down without a fight either.”

“Stay focused, everybody,” Sean says. “Let’s split up and get to work. We can’t be caught unprepared.”

Sean leads the group towards the elevators.

Furball nuzzles my ankles, whimpering.

“I know, buddy,” I scratch his ears. “I’m scared too.”

I notice Diego’s the only other one who hasn’t moved yet.

“Diego?” I walk up to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Besides everything?” he sighs.

“Yeah, besides that.”

“It’s just…sure, I get the plan. We’re sealing ourselves in, but…”

His face falls, and he starts shaking.

“Who are we sealing ourselves in _with?_ ”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing here is adding up. And remember what we talked about when we got here? How there are _eleven_ students on the trip and there were supposed to be _ten_?”

He’s right. I completely forgot about that.

I pretty much just stopped being suspicious of everyone…even when Zahra told me her thoughts on where Lila’s loyalties lie.

I mean…everyone here has stepped up and helped out when the occasion came, but…

…the fact remands that I know next to _nothing_ about these people.

“One of us,” Diego continues. “Isn’t supposed to be here.”

“Diego,” I pat his shoulder. “I get it. It’s weirding me out too. But everyone’s been helpful so far, and they showed that they can be trusted. We all have a common goal; to survive.”

“You know,” Diego gives a small smile. “Maybe you’re right about that.”

“Remember, man, one mystery at a time. We’ll solve ‘The Mystery of the Extra Passenger’ right after ‘The Case of the Blue-Man Group Fanbase’.”

That got him a laugh.

We begin to walk over to the elevator, and before we join the others, Diego speaks again.

“Oh, and Cain?”

“Yeah?”

“I think we should hold off on telling everyone about the dossiers.”

“What?” I realize that the files on almost everyone here had never crossed my mind. “Why?”

“I mean…we’ve got enough on our plate as is. If we tell everyone that we were all chosen to come here, then they’ll start freaking out. And where does that leave us when those weird-ass elves come after us?”

“You’ve got a point,” I sigh. “Alright. We’ll save those for later.” 

* * *

 

Diego and I strain as we push a sofa through the lobby, against the front door.

“Okay,” he calls out. “Let’s go a little to the left!”

“My left or your left?”

“Mine!”

Pretty soon, with everyone’s help, a big stack of furniture is piled up in front of the entrance.

I plop onto one of the sofas, and take a minute to catch my breath.

Craig walks by me with a huge table under one arm, carrying it like it’s nothing.”

_Seriously?_

“You guys good?” He asks.

“Michelle,” Iris speaks. “Your lifting technique is suboptimal. Avoid muscle strain by using your-”

“Are you just gonna float there,” Michelle snaps. “Doing nothing and talking crap, or are you gonna help with something?!”

“I apologize. I lack a corporeal form to assist with manual labor. I must also advise, your efforts to barricade the building will prove fruitless unless you also blockade the subterranean tunnel.”

“Wait,” Quinn turns to Iris with wide eyes. “ _What_ did you just say?”

“Accessing log…” Iris frowns. “I’m not quite sure what I’m referring to. I appear to have accessed a partially reconstructed memory file…I recall that a hidden tunnel exists, leading into the main resort tower.”

“Cain,” Quin says, turning to me. “If the Watchers find it, there’ll be no stopping them.”

“You’re right,” I nod. “Iris, do you know where the entrance is?”

“Scanning…no blueprints found. Cross-referencing…matches four files containing term ‘wine cellar’.”

“It’s in the wine cellar then. Where is that?”

“I think I know,” Quinn answers. “I saw a set of stairs in the restaurant! I’ll head over there and see if I can find this secret tunnel.”

She blushes a little, and continues hesitantly.

“Do…do you want to come with? I’m not sure I could find it on my own.”

“Of course,” I answer. If there’s a secret tunnel at the wine cellar, then I want to check it out.

Plus, it sure as hell beats lugging around heavy furniture.

“Great!” She grins brightly. “Let’s go!”

She leads me towards the restaurant, and we wind through the kitchen.

“Here it is!”

We lift up a trap door, revealing a spiral staircase leading into darkness.

“Think it’s safe down there?” Quinn asks.

“What do you say we find out?” I grin cheekily.

“By all means,” she grins back. “After you!”

Quinn takes my hand, and we both go down together into the dark.

Immediately, an aroma hits me, smelling like cork, grapes, and the earthy wooden barrels that hold the wine.

Somehow, the smell fills me with peace, and I smile breaks across my face.

Quinn hits a light switch, and dim lamps reveal rows of gleaming wine bottles.

“This is an absurd collection, Cain!” Quinn cries out. “Look, they’ve got 1954…1908…1873!”

I pause by a small rinse basin. Two wine glasses stand on napkins, with some cabernet left in the bottom.

“Huh,” I lean close to the wine. “Just like at the lobby. It looks like there were people down here, tasting wine when…when _whatever_ happened to the guests happened.”

I look over to Quinn, who went silent. In the dim light, I can catch her eyes glistening.

“What do you think is going to happen, Cain?” she asks. “To us, I mean.”

Honestly? I have no idea.

But I need to at least pretend I believe we’re going to be fine, if not for my sake, then Quinn’s.

“We’re going to be fine,” I smile encouragingly. “Scout’s honor. Well…not that I really ever _was_ in the Scouts, but the principle still stands.”

She chuckles a bit.

“Do you really mean that?”

“Absolutely.”

“I can tell,” she smirks, but looks down. “But it just seems like something people say when they don’t know _what_ to say.”

Well…she got me there.

“But thank you for saying it, and thank you more for meaning it. Now let’s find that secret tunnel. We can’t block it off if we don’t know where it is.”

We continue exploring the cellar, making sure to stay close. I almost feel like we’re exploring an ancient, unearthed tomb.

In a way, considering how old this stuff is, I guess we are.

I see Quinn stopping by a bottle and examining the label.

“Oh, wow! Domaine de Marceau 1865! I’ve heard of this. It’s supposed to be absolutely amazing.”

“You recognize that?” I smirk. “You must be quite the connoisseur.”

“Well,” Quinn giggles. “Not really. It’s more that…”

She frowns.

“No, it’s silly.”

“Tell me,” I say gently.

Quinn sighs.

“You’re gonna laugh, but…I like wine because it makes me feel sophisticated. Like I lived a full life. When you can dive into all the minutiae of something like wine, it’s because you don’t really have anything serious to worry about. And somehow, the thought of that is so…peaceful to me.”

“Hey, I get that,” I smile at her. “All anybody really wants is peace.”

“Right?” Quinn’s smile is a bit strained. “I know people like to say that the tough times are what strengthen character, but maybe I don’t want to be strong anymore.”

She looks off, and that _hollowness_ mars her eyes.

“I’m…I’m just so _tired_ of being strong…”

Quinn shakes her head, and glides up to a wall of rough stone. She runs her fingers along the crevices.

“This separation here,” she taps the wall. “Do you think this could be the door to the tunnel?”

I blush as Quinn takes my hand, and places my fingers against the smooth stone.

“Here,” she says, her voice barely a whisper.

Quinn turns to me, and I notice how close we are.

Really close…

Light coming from behind her makes her hair look like ethereal flames.

I cough, and despite how embarrassed I am, I can’t help but grin.

“Hey!” Quinn tries to sound angry, but her smile gives her away. “What’s so funny? Are you laughing at me?”

“No,” I say, still smiling. “It’s just…our entire world has been turned upside down, but when I think about going back to before all this, back to when it was safe and normal…I realize I’d rather have endured all of this, just so I’d meet you.”

Quinn moves forward to hug me.

“Aw, thanks Cain!”

“And, um,” I cough, still blushing. “The others too. You’re all such great friends.”

But seriously, there’s something about simply knowing everyone here, being _around_ them that makes me feel so damn happy…

Weird.

Instead of teasing me further, she immediately pulls away.

“Hey, do you see that? On the floor?”

Quinn kneels down and picks up a cocktail napkin under a table.

“There’s handwriting on the back of this napkin!”

“What does it say?” I ask, moving forward to see.

‘A = B + C - D’

“A math formula?” Quinn asks. “Could this somehow be a clue to finding the tunnel entrance?”

Maybe…

That thought resonates with me quite a bit.

Okay, so there are four variables in the equation, and no numbers.

There’s got to be something to indicate the number-

Aha!

“Something tells me you’re about to yell ‘Eureka’,” Quinn comments.

“There are four numbers,” I say. “It’s gotta be a year! We’re _surrounded_ by them on the wine bottles! It’s a vintage year!”

“You’re right!” She gasps. “So we’re looking for a year where the four numbers would work with the formula on the napkin,” Quinn takes a quick glance. “The first number of the year equals the last one subtracted from the sum of the second and third.”

“Right,” I nod. “The first one is obviously one, unless we’ve got wine from the future.”

We search through the wine bottles, looking for a year that matches the clue.

I see it.

1908.

“Quinn! I found it! The year that matches the formula is 1908!”

“It works!” She grins. “1 equals 9 plus 0 minus 8!”

I reach to pick up the bottle by its neck…

…holy crap, it’s attached to the rack!

“It’s a lever!” Quinn exclaims. “Pull it!”

I yank the bottle, and I hear a cranking sound.

I turn, and see a wall of wine racks out on a hinge.

There it is. The secret tunnel.

“We found it!”

Quinn steps forward, and frowns.

“So this is where people could sneak into the resort. Why would they even need such a thing?”

“I’ve been asking ‘why’ pretty much nonstop since we landed,” I shrug. “Like, why 1908?”

“I bet these numbers were special to Rourke,” Quinn mutters. “Somehow…”

Quinn shakes her head.

“We should close this up and make sure nobody can get in through here.”

“What do you say we grab the heaviest wine barrels in here?” I grin. “We’ll block the door with those.”

“Only if you do the heavy lifting,” Quinn returns with cheekiness. “And I sit and supervise.”

After pushing several barrels against the door, we try pulling the lever.

The door doesn’t even budge.

“Mission accomplished!” I smile. “I’d like to see anyone get through these!”

“Hey, um,” Quinn blushes a bit. “I just wanna say…thanks for coming with me, Cain.”

She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, and then races up the stairs.

…

…my whole mind goes blank for a second.

Eventually…I’m able to remember who I am and what I’m doing here, and I follow Quinn up the stairs.

As I walk up into the restaurant, I feel a renewed sense of vigor and confidence.

Maybe we can really do this.

Maybe we _can_ actually survive this island.


	40. The Spar

When we get upstairs, we catch Grace and Aleister carrying armfuls of junk as they enter the ballroom.

What are they up to?

I decide to follow them.

When I pass through the ballroom doors, I find Michelle, Raj, and Lila next to a table piled with even more junk.

“Uh,” I say, and they all turn to me. “What’s all _this?_ ”

Aleister sighs.

“Isn’t it self-evident? We’re setting traps.”

“Like _Home Alone_!” Raj grins, and then frowns. “Dude, that movie was _super_ violent when you think about it.”

“I’ve already scattered broken glass along a number of hallways,” Lila declares proudly. “We’ll hear a crunch if any intruders sneak in. Make sure to watch your step!”

Okay…that’s pretty violent.

“Uh…” I fumble with my words, stunned. “Sure…”

“And, um,” Grace looks as disturbed as I feel. “What are you doing now?”

She gestures to a thick bundle of electrical wires at Lila’s feet.

“Oh this?” Lila grins. “I rippled them out of the wall. We can flood the entrance with a very thin layer of water and leave the exposed wiring in the puddle. That way, we just have to flip on the switch and instantly electrocute any intruders! Easy peasy!”

Okay, is it just me, or does she sound a bit too cheerful about all this?

“You’re uh,” I chuckle nervously. “Pretty good at setting traps, Lila.”

“How did you even learn to do all this?” Michelle asks.

“Oh, you know,” Lila waves off. “Girls Scouts.”

“I’m _pretty_ sure,” Raj looks nervously at the wires. “They don’t teach that in Girl Scouts.”

“In any case,” Aleister speaks up. “We have some more materials to use. The question is, what do we do with them?”

He picks up a can of paint.

“For instance, this paint. It’s oil-based, and very slick. And I shouldn’t have to say this, but given present company-”

He glances at Raj.

“Please don’t get it in your eyes. In fact, I suggest we-”

“Dump it on a staircase!” Raj beams. “So the Watchers slip down and can’t follow us up! Ha, sweet!”

Aleister clears his throat.

“I was _going_ to suggest we fill these balloons with it,” he holds up a box of uninflated party balloons. “And use them to blind our enemies.”

“What do you think, Cain?” Grace asks me.

“Maybe the balloons would work?” I offer. “Since we’d be able to take them with us anywhere. And it doesn’t look like there’s enough to cover _all_ the staircases.”

“The obvious choice,” Aleister says smugly.

“Aw man,” Raj groans.

“Either way,” Lila says cheerfully. “It’s sure to cause devastating injuries! How exciting!”

Raj speaks before I have a chance to get even more weirded out by Lila.

“And look what I found!” He holds up a pile of junk. “Let’s see, I got one of those curly straws, a walkie-talkie, and this big-ass picture frame to whack people with!”

“A frame?!” Aleister snaps. “What the devil is the point of…hm? What’s this?”

He turns the frame over to reveal a black-and-white photo held within.

A grinning Everett Rourke is playing an honest-to-god _arcade cabinet_ in a game room.

I can’t help but laugh out loud.

“An insanely rich guy playing arcade games?” I snicker. “Seriously?”

“So he’s an utter fool,” Aleister scoffs. “What else is new?”

“What’s the inscription over there say?” Grace asks.

I move closer to the picture.

“‘The Celestial’s Proprietor Everett A. Rourke” I read aloud. “Gets a perfect score yet again on his favorite arcade game, a prized possession.’”

“Oh cool!” Raj grins. “There’s gotta be a game room somewhere around here!”

“Needless to say,” Aleister rubs his forehead. “This junk will prove utterly worthless. Thank you, as always, for your contribution, Raj.”

“Okay, okay,” I hold my hands up and look pointedly at Aleister. “Back to the matter at hand.”

“Right!” Lila speaks again. “We still have the matter of this compressed oxygen tank we found. It was in a suitcase full of scuba gear.”

“Oh, nice!” Michelle grins, taking the tank from Lila. “This tank is _highly_ pressurized. If we knock off the nozzle cap, we could launch it like a missile! That’d do some damage!”

“Hm well,” Grace speaks, fiddling with her glasses. “My idea isn’t exactly a ‘trap’, but…if we store the tank underwater, say, behind the waterfall of the pool…we could hide down there in case we’re being chased, without having to come up for air.”

“Good plan,” I say. “But maybe we should go for the missile? Remember, we’re _fighting off_ the Watchers. Even if we hide, they won’t stop until they find us.”

“Duh,” Michelle rolls her eyes. “Thanks for the thumbs-up, but I really don’t need your approval, okay?”

You’re welcome.

“Oh, okay,” Grace looks down dejectedly. “I just thought maybe we could think a little more defensively…”

“Hooray!” Lila cheers. “Good thinking, team! We’re capable of all sorts of destruction when we work together! Now, let’s finish setting up these traps!”

I hate to admit it, but…

…maybe Zahra had a point in not trusting Lila.

When the ballroom/minefield is all set up, I leave, going further into the hallway to see if anyone else needs any help.

I catch Estela and Jake, each carrying a bunch of blunt instruments.

“Hey guys,” I smile. “What are you up to?”

“Steve Rogers said we needed weapons,” Jake shrugs. “So we’re getting weapons.”

“Baseball bats and stuff,” Estela says. “Not that they’ll make a difference.”

“Why do you say that?” I frown.

“Doesn’t matter what you put in someone’s hands. If they don’t know how to fight, they don’t know how to fight.”

“And nobody else here knows how to fight,” Jake sighs. “Trust me.”

“What about, like, Sean and Craig?” I try.

“Big, tough, strong? Sure. Probably been in schoolyard fistfights. But that’s nothing like when it’s life or death.”

“When it all hits the fan, Cain,” Estela says. “You’re gonna wish you knew a thing or two about self-defense.”

“You know,” Jake smirks. “I could teach you if you want. We could head down to the beach for some one-on-one time. We haven’t barricaded the rear entrance yet, but it’s inside the resort walls, so we’d be safe. Well, that’s if you think you could handle things getting a little rough.”

“Or,” Estela snorts. “You could go there with _me_ , someone you could actually learn something from.”

“Well…” I think for a moment, and then decide. “Why don’t you _both_ teach me, then?”

“Works for me,” Jake grins. “Come on down to the beach. There, it won’t hurt so much when you get knocked on your ass.” 

* * *

 

“Alright,” Jake says. “Widen your stance a little now.”

“Like this?” I ask, doing as he says. The two of us are standing knee-deep in the water, shirtless.

“Better. Not great. Pretty bad, actually, but better.”

“Not much of a teacher,” Estela says, arms crossed on the sand. “Are you, pilot.”

“That so?” Jake asks, annoyed. “Alright, O Captain My Captain, why don’t you show us your tricks?”

Wordlessly, Estela peels off her clothes, folding them neatly and stacking them on the beach. She joins us in the water.

“Ever been in a fight before, Cain?” She asks.

“Not really,” I say. “I never needed to use my fists.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Nobody ever wants to fight me,” I smirk. “I usually just charm the pants off people.”

“Literally or figuratively?” Estela snickers.

“Bit of both.”

“Not bad, Boy Scout,” Jake laughs.

“In any case,” Estela continues. “If you want to stay alive, forget everything you know. Blank slate. Everyone’s worst enemy is themselves. All you have to do is turn that against them.”

“What,” Jake scoffs. “In the hell is this philosophical mumbo-jumbo?”

“I thought _I_ was teaching Cain here,” Estela scowls. “But maybe you need a lesson too.”

“Look, all you gotta know is to attack with everything you’ve got. Be relentless. Keep them on the defensive. Don’t let them collect themselves.”

“No,” Estela rolls her eyes. “He should use the enemy’s movements against them. Redirect their momentum and exploit it.”

“Clearly we have different styles,” Jake looks at me. “So I guess it’s up to Boy Scout which way to go.”

“Maybe,” I scratch the back of my neck. “I’ll go with Estela’s technique? Jake, your style might work for someone stronger than me, like Sean or Craig. I’m a swimmer, not a football player or wrestler.”

“Maybe there’s hope for you yet,” Estela smirks.

“Fine,” Jake shrugs. “But don’t come crying to me when the Watchers whoop your ass.”

I line up opposite Estela.

“Listen up, Cain,” she says. “I’m going to attack you with a few blows, nice and slow. What you need to do is watch my movements and anticipate where I’m going. Move with me, find the openings, and grab me.”

“You know,” I chuckle. “It’s kinda like we’re dancing.”

Estela’s cheeks redden a bit, and she coughs.

“Sure, why not…” her embarrassment turns to focus. “Here I come.”

Attacking me in slow motion with punches aimed at my sides, I focus on her movements.

Dodging her fists, feet, elbows, and knees, I finally find an opening, and I grab her stomach, hurling her aside.

“Not bad,” she smiles approvingly.

“Gotta say, Boy Scout,” Jake nods. “You look good out there.”

“Whoa, check it!”

I turn to see Craig, Diego, Michelle, Grace, and Zahra walking up to us on the beach.

“You’re leaving us out of a total ‘Karate Kid’ scene?” Diego mocks hurt. “Not cool man.”

“Exactly,” Michelle says. “I want in.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me,” Michelle starts tying her hair into a ponytail. “The Watchers are getting ready to attack, and it’s gonna be either ‘fight or die’ when they do. And I’m _not_ okay with the latter.”

“Me too,” Grace steps forward, determined. “I’ve never been in a fight before, but that’s all the more reason I should learn now.”

“Same goes for me,” Diego nods. “The most I know about fighting are all the Jackie Chan movies I’ve seen.”

“The nerds have a point,” Zahra claps Grace’s shoulder. “And like fuck I’m gonna turn down a free ass-kicking lesson. I’ll make the Watchers my bitches.”

“Hell yeah!” Craig grins. “We’ll make those blue bastards regret messin’ with us!”

“Alright,” Jake shrugs. “Why not? The more the merrier. Let’s have a mini-bloodbath!”

With that, Diego, Grace, and Michelle join me in training with Estela, which leaves Jake one-on-one-ing with Craig.

It feels like an hour went by. Estela shifts in and out to practicing in slow-motion with us. Eventually, we start practicing with each other, and I slow-spar with Michelle and Diego before practicing with Estela again.

After we finish another round, I find myself struggling to catch my breath.

“Tired?” Estela asks me.

“Yup.”

“Good.”

“ _Good?_ ”

“Now comes the hard part.”

“ _This wasn’t the hard part?!_ ”

“This time, spar someone and try out what you learned at full-speed,” she gestures to Michelle slow-sparring Diego and Zahra against Grace. “I’ll go and help them, so you’re stuck with the cupcake,” Estela thrusts her thumb behind her, where Jake is practicing punches with Craig.

“I’m friggin _exhausted_ ,” I complain.

“That’s precisely when your enemies will come for you,” Estela rolls her eyes. “Now go on.”

She walks over to the others, and I make my way over to Jake.

“No, angle your fist like _this_.”

“Dude, I’m telling you, that don’t feel right.”

“Well if you keep _that_ up, you’ll break every-oh hey, Boy Scout!”

“Hey man!” Craig grins. “You’re about to miss me do some straight-up Naruto-level shit!”

“Or break your damn hand,” Jake mutters.

“So, Estela has her hands full with the others,” I turn my head, and see her practicing kicks with Grace. “She sent me over to spar full-speed with you.”

“Me, huh?” Jake smirks. “Sure you don’t want someone easier?” he looks at Craig, who then looks behind him.

“Who are we lookin’ at?”

“Well then,” Jake widens his stance and lifts his fists. “Pay attention, Drax, you might learn something. Let’s see what you got, Boy Scout.”

I get ready, and Jake launches a flurry of strikes at me. Like he said his style was like, it’s hard, fast, and not giving me a lot of time to react.

I remember what I learned with Estela, and I’m able to predict his next move, continuously blocking and evading.

“Nice,” Jake smirks. “But Katniss’s tricks won’t last you forever!”

He speeds up, becoming more forceful in his attacks. Shit, it’s getting harder to block him…

Suddenly, I see an opening. He carries his elbow up too far, and his abdomen’s exposed.

I swing a fist under his arms, and it connects!

Jake doubles over.

“Good hit,” he wheezes. He then raises his hand in a mock-faint gesture, and falls onto the wet sand.

“KO’ed!” Craig cheers. “That was dope, man!”

“Thanks Craig,” I grin, moving to help Jake up.

“Not bad,” I turn to see Estela smirking at us. “Now, you get to spar with me.”

Oh boy.

“Nice knowing you, man,” Diego cackles. “I’ll get Raj to sing at your funeral.”

“Well guess what?” I say in mock anger. “I updated my will, and you get _nothing_. I’m leaving everything to Furball.”

“Harsh man, real harsh.”

“Ready when you are, Cain,” Estela prepares her stance.

I do the same, and it’s Estela who attacks first.

We’re both using identical techniques, juking each other cautiously, and like two poised cats, waiting for the slightest mistake.

“Come on,” Estela smirks tauntingly. “Are we gonna dance here all night, Cain? Or are we gonna spar?”

“Nice try,” I say in between dodging Estela’s strikes. “But you taught me better than that.”

Just then, as Estela jabs with her left arm, I see a small opening in her defense!

I put everything I got into my strike…

…but Estela immediately circles around me.

“Ooh, so close.”

She sweeps her leg, and I topple into the water.

Estela pounces on me, pinning me against the sand.

“You’re gonna have to try harder than that to get me,” she smiles teasingly.

“How hard do I have to try?” I smile back.

“I’ll let you know.”

Estela helps me up.

“Seriously though, do you think I’d stand a chance with when the Watchers attack?”

“You show promise,” Estela admits. “Just remember what I taught you, keep a calm head, and you’ll be fine.”

“Plus,” Craig adds. “You totally won against Jake.”

“Well,” Michelle smirks. “Don’t pat yourself on the back _just_ yet.”

Everyone laughs, except for Jake.

“Okay,” he folds his arms. “I’m feeling _so_ attacked right now.”


	41. The Game

Perched on my shoulder, Furball purrs as the two of us join Diego in watching Craig and Zahra play pool in the game room.

As Diego claimed, they were looking for windows to barricade, and got ‘distracted’.

Zahra’s sticking her tongue out in concentration, leaning down over her pool cue.

Only one striped ball remains on the pool table, along with the 8-ball.

“Craig’s beating Zahra,” Diego smirks. “She’s toast unless she makes this shot.”

“Shut it,” Zahra snaps.

“Zahra,” I jump as I remember Iris is in the room. “Projectile analysis predicts that, at your current angle, you will miss. Allow me to assist.”

A flat, holographic arrow appears on the pool table, highlighting an exact direction of the direction of the cue ball.

“Nice!” Zahra grins. “Corner pocket’s officially mine.”

“What the hell!” Craig cries. “That’s cheating, bro!”

Zahra makes the shot, and the cue ball ricochets around the table, knocking in the last two balls.

“Aw yeah!” she whoops, starting to do an undignified dance. “How’s defeat taste, Craig? Salty, like your tears!”

Furball hops off my shoulder, and I laugh when he starts mimicking Zahra’s dancing.

“Hey,” Diego joins me in laughing. “Looks like Furball has some moves too!”

I’m about to ask if I can join in. Maybe some pool will calm my nerves…

…and then I see it.

A game cabinet is against the wall. Exactly like the one in the painting from the ballroom.

All that’s missing is Everett Rourke.

“I recognize this,” I walk up to the game. “Raj found a picture of Rourke playing this game. It mentioned him getting a perfect score.”

I read the label on the cabinet.

“‘Most Wanted 2’?” Zahra reads. “That’s that series based on those crazy murder cases in LA, right?”

“Yeah,” Diego grins. “Total cult classic.”

Unconsciously, I rest my hands on the controls…

…the static comes.

Somehow…I can see through it more clearly…

…I see myself playing the game…

…as clear as when Lion-Mask spoke to me-

“Cain?” I hear Diego’s concerned voice. “You spacing out or something?”

“I’m gonna give this a try,” I say absently.

“Warning,” Iris speaks. “The game is notoriously difficult. Few can match Rourke’s perfect score.”

Through the static, I see the game’s screen congratulating me as I get a perfect score…

…dammit. I don’t even _play_ video games…

I see an option that says ‘Enter cheat code’.

Using the joystick on the panel, I select it, and I’m given a set of numbers and letters, and four spaces.

The cheat code is four digits long…

…just like a year-

I’m punching in 1908 before I even realize what I’m doing.

Words appear on the screen.

“God mode unlocked!”

“Whoa!” Diego marvels. “How did you know the code?”

“Down in the wine cellar,” I answer. “Quinn and I found this set of numbers that seemed important to Rourke. Apparently enough to be the cheat code to the game.”

“I bet he never actually beat this game legit,” Zahra scoffs. “Cheating is for losers.”

“What are you talking about?” Craig demands. “You _just_ cheated to beat me in pool!”

“It’s fine when _I_ do it. Try to keep up, Craig.”

Chuckling, I go back to the start screen, and begin the game.

The screen shows two 8-bit characters. One is a blond woman in a leather jacket, under her are the words ‘US Marshal’. The other is a dark haired man in a suit, with ‘LAPD Detective’ beneath him.

“Who do you play as?” the screen asks me.

“Go with the Marshal,” Zahra suggests. “The LAPD guy always seemed like an asshat to me.”

Shrugging, I use the joystick to select her sprite.

The screen shifts to a Hollywood Red Carpet scene, with the two sprites side by side.

“Uh oh, Marshal!” a speech bubble appears above the Detective. “That murderous cult leader is getting away!”

“We’ll have to work together to catch him!” says Marshal’s speech bubble.

“Match the prompts to the correct option!” The screen shows me, and a set of three buttons appear at the lower part.

“Remember, act fast!” The screen begins to count down. “Ready…set…GO!”

The sprites hold out 8-bit guns, and begin to run through the scene.

“Investigate!” the words appear on the screen for a split-second.

Luckily, the buttons representing the options _all_ have ‘Investigate’ written on them.

Huh. So this is god mode.

I select the middle button, and immediately, Marshal’s sprite removes her gun in favor of an 8-bit magnifying glass.

My score increases by 100,000 points.

From options to ‘Shoot’, to ‘Banter’ ( _seriously?_ ), I continue until my score reaches 1,000,000.

“You got…” the game’s screen says when the game is over. “1,000,000 points! The perfect score!”

“I did it!” I whoop.

“Way to beat the system, Cain,” Zahra nods approvingly.

“You’re going to jail, bad guy!” The Detective’s sprite says.

The sprites leap into the air and high-five.

“Aw, man,” Craig groans. “I thought they were gonna kiss…”

“Congratulations,” The screen says. “On the high score! Enter your initials.”

I’m taken to another set of numbers and letters.

“Gonna make your mark, huh?” Diego grins. “Maybe let Rourke know he’s not the best gamer around anymore?”

Three spaces are present. One for the first, then the middle, and the last.

The static comes again, and I see Rourke hunched over the game…

…Everett A Rourke…

Again, my hands move on their own.

“‘EAR’?” Diego asks me. “What…oh my god, guy’s look!”

Behind us, a panel slides open from the wall, revealing a hallway.

“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Craig grins. “Let’s see what Rourkey-Boy was hiding!”

Craig charges into the opening, and we all follow.

Soon, we’re in a room filled with monitors all around, with a few desks and chairs.

“What is this place?” I gape at my surroundings.

“It appears to be some kind of security command center,” Iris offers.

I look down at one console, and I notice a large red button but its side.

“‘TERS’,” I read the button’s label. “What’s this?”

“Searching,” Iris says. “Reconstructing corrupted memory…it is the Tsunami Emergency Response System. In the event of a tidal wave, the Celestial was built with industrial steel shutters that can descend and seal off all doors and windows on the lower ten floors. Once activated, the shutters remain on lockdown for twelve hours.”

“ _Seriously?_ ” I almost laugh in relief.

This is it.

We can protect ourselves from the Watchers by keeping them out of here in the first place.

“That sounds pretty good right about now,” Diego looks about the same as I feel.

“Chyeah!” Craig cheers. “No way those rainforest peeps could get through that! This is a no-brainer!”

“For you, Craig,” Zahra mutters. “ _Everything_ is a no-brainer.”

I frown.

“You don’t think we should do it, Zahra?”

“I’m just saying,” she shrugs. “It’s a twelve hour lockdown. If they can’t get in, then we can’t get out. So, if something happens…let’s just say I’m somebody who likes to know her escape route.”

I look down on the button.

Zahra has a point…

…but could anything that happens in here be as bad as the Watchers getting in?

“ _Who are we sealing ourselves in_ with?”

Diego’s words echo in my mind.

Fuck.

Either way, I’m taking a huge risk…

…why the hell not?

I press the button.

Instantly, I feel the entire building vibrate like Raj’s massage chair.

“Whoa,” I look at the security monitors, and see shutters lower in every room on the ground floor, blotting out the faint sunset light.

“Whelp,” Zahra stuffs her hands in her pockets, scowling. “I hope you know what you’re doing. That was rhetorical. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Speak for yourself,” Diego pats my shoulder. “I, for one, am gonna be sleeping a helluva lot more soundly now that we’ve got giant metal plates protecting us.”

“Why don’t we search the room?” I offer. “Maybe there’s something here we can use.”

We start searching.

I rummage through a few drawers, but they’re all empty.

Weird.

“Uh, Cain?” I hear Craig’s voice trembling. “You’re gonna wanna take a look at this.”

He offers me a plain manila folder…

…the same one I saw with…

…oh my god.

My heart’s an inch from leaping into my throat.

I reach for the folder, and I force my hand not to shake…

…but I almost drop the folder when I see my picture on it.

I’m staring at the camera with a wide smile, looking happier than I ever had.

But I can’t keep my face from expressing horror.

If I opened the folder any faster, I would have torn it.

I expect to see the folder with details about my life. About how I was in high school, about my family, about my sister…

I find none of that.

Right next to my picture is a clearance level of omega.

But that doesn’t hold my attention for long.

On the lower half of the file, written in blue marker are the words, “WHO IS HE???”

“What…” I gasp. “What is…?”

“Cain?” Diego asks me. “What is it?”

I scan the file one last time.

Aside from the clearance level, all else written on the file is a threat assessment of ten.

Everything else is blank.

Wordlessly, I give Diego the folder.

“ _Holy…_ ” Diego gasps.

“Dude,” Craig asks me. “What does this mean?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I don’t’…I don’t…”

I don’t know a goddamn thing about what’s going on.

A second sheet falls out of the folder, and the sound almost makes me jump.

I kneel down to pick it up.

Huh…the sheet looks newer…less wrinkled. Not like the other files…

I read it, and my eyes go as wide as dinner plates.

The others come next to me and read, and they’re no better off.

Aleister’s sneering face is shown on the file, printed on the paper instead of clipped to it.

Next to his picture is typed, “IRIS System-Wide Alert.”

Below is a timestamp of 07:30 hours.

“Asset codenamed SERPENS,” I read. “(b. 19 AUG 1995, Cambridge, England) had somehow gained access to the plane. He is on his way to La Huerta. The guide responsible will be fired.”

“Bad news for Lila,” Zahra says, her tone sounding more absent and lacked the usual snark.

“Situation appears problematic,” I keep reading. “But the statistics predict that this may turn out to be a good development…so long as the ‘Selected’ never learn his identity. Everett must be contacted immediately upon plane’s arrival.”

Below is a threat assessment of 8, and another one of those weird symbols.

Oh my god…

Aleister is working for Rourke.

“Is…” the file falls out of my shaking hands. “Is this for real?”

Zahra grabs the paper from the ground.

“Dude, this lists Aleister as a Rourke International asset.”

“What the hell, Iris,” Craig turns to the hologram. “Why didn’t you say something?! This report has your name on it!”

“It certainly does,” Iris says, a mechanical sadness on her features. “But I can assure you, I have no recollection of this data. My system restore point is from far earlier.”

“Cain,” Diego looks at me. “You know what this means. Aleister is the eleventh winner. He’s the one who shouldn’t be here. And he’s been in contact with Everett Rourke? He’s been in on it from the beginning.”

But…

…this can’t be.

Aleister _helped_ us. Sure, he could be a little…stuck up, but he helped us search the hotel, he…

…we still don’t know him.

The fact remains that we don’t know anything about most of everyone here.

“We should confront him,” I say grimly. “He owes us an explanation.” 

* * *

 

We leave the security office, and go straight to the lobby, where Sean is saying something to everyone…

…everyone except Aleister.

“Where is he?!” Craig bellows. “Where the fuck is Aleister?!”

“Whoa, dude!” Sean hold his hands up calmingly. “What’s going on?”

“Our resident dickhead,” Zahra holds up the file. “Has a few skeletons up his closet.”

Sean takes the file, and everyone hunches over to read.

“Oh my…” Sean’s jaw drops.

“Son of a bitch,” Michelle fumes.

“That fucking…” Jake glowers.

“Let’s go find the bastard,” Craig snarls. “We’ll lock him up in a room and keep him prisoner there.”

“Whoa!” Raj holds his hands up. “That’s going too far man! I mean, shouldn’t we at least hear him out first?”

“Why?! This _literally_ says Aleister is in cahoots with Rourke!” Zahra snaps. “Look here, it mentions Rourke _by name_.”

“I mean, well…”

“Look, either way,” Sean cuts in. “Aleister owes us answers. Let’s go find him first before we start making judgements.”

“Well where the hell is he?” Zahra demands.

“He went up to the rooftop with Grace,” Raj says.

All eyes land on him.

“You’re telling me,” Estela glares. “That someone _potentially dangerous_ is alone with Grace right now?!”

“ _I didn’t know about any of this!_ ” Raj wails.

“Let’s get up there,” Sean declares.

We take the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator.

We’re at the rooftop, and he’s right there, scratching the back of his neck, and Grace with a hopeful look.

“It’s…” Aleister is facing Grace, looking very nervous. “Simply a matter of wanting to be forthright…”

“Try being forthright about _this,_ ” Jake snaps, interrupting the two.

Aleister and Grace turn to face all of us all glaring coldly at him.

“What…what in heaven’s name are you blathering about?!”

“You owe us an explanation, Aleister,” I say gently, deciding to play the good cop. “We’re your friends. You owe us at least that much.”

“What the hell, Cain?” Craig glares. “This freak ain’t our friend! He’s a spy!”

“Why are you taking it easy on him?!” Zahra demands.

“Cain, what’s happening?” Grace asks nervously. “Why is everyone so angry?”

“That’s what we’re here to find out,” I answer. “Sean, could you give them the file?”

He does, and Aleister scans the paper. His eyes go cold.

Grace reads it beside him, and betrayal washes over her face.

She starts to back away, looking at Aleister with disbelief.

“Aleister…you…you’re…”

“Grace, it’s not what it looks like.”

Are those…

… _tears_ in his eyes…?

“It’s time to tell the truth, Aleister,” Sean growls. “You’ve got one chance to tell us everything.”

“How long have you been working for Everett Rourke,” Jake prods.

“I’m not-” Aleister tries to speak.

“Quit lying!” Michelle snaps. “It says right there that Everett was to be contacted when you arrived! You’re working with him-”

“I’m not!” he shouts. “I can’t be!”

“Why not?”

“Because _I am Everett Rourke!_ ”

.

.

.

_What?!_

Everyone is silent.

How…what…

Aleister’s eyes fall to his shoes.

“Not…not _the_ Everett Rourke,” he says through a grimace. “My name…is Everett Aleister Rourke, the _Second_. The man who built this place, the man who brought all of you here…is my _father_.”


	42. The Son

We’re all silent.

I’m not sure what to say…

…or what to _think_ for that matter…

Until Raj sums up the situation _perfectly_.

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!”

Yup.

“So it’s you,” Estela mutters.

“Okay,” Craig runs a hand through his hair. “Did _not_ see that coming!”

“I kinda did,” Zahra shrugs.

Grace looks betrayed.

“You…you’ve been lying to us?”

“Grace, I’m sorry,” Aleister says pleadingly. “I never meant to hurt you.”

He reaches for her, but she pulls away.

“Hold up,” Jake speaks. “You’re the boss man’s kid…and what, that’s supposed to make us _trust_ you? What’s the deal? Did he plant you here to spy on us? Is he listening in right now?”

“No!” Aleister snaps. “For god’s sake, I’m _not_ a spy!”

“I don’t know guys,” Sean looks at the rest of us. “I think he sounds sincere…”

“You shitting me?” Jake asks incredulously. “That’s _literally_ a spy’s job!”

“Guys,” I speak up. “I believe him.”

“What?!” Aleister asks, surprised. “You _do?_ ”

“ _Seriously?_ ” Jake demands.

“Think about it,” I say. “Wouldn’t a trained spy be more…you know…”

“Suave?” Michelle asks. “Cool?”

“Badass?”

“Capable?”

“Not, like, a huge dork?”

“Enough already!” Aleister cries out. “I take your meaning!”

“But,” Grace begins. “If you’re _not_ a spy…what are you doing here? Why did you lie your way onto the trip?”

Letting out a long sigh, Aleister turns towards the railing and gazes out into the island.

“My whole life…all I ever wanted was his approval. His respect. For him to look at me with pride. But he was always gone, on one business trip or another…always occupied with his resort or his research projects. My tenth birthday, he was in Kyoto, unveiling his new fusion-powered bullet train…my high school graduation, he was in Moscow, negotiating a trans-European trade agreement. And still, I thought I could impress him. If I just achieved enough…if I followed in his footsteps…he’d finally recognize me for what I’m worth.”

“Aleister…”

“He promised me that we’d spend time together this summer. That he’d show me the intricacies of his business. That he’d consider… _consider_ …bringing me in.”

Aleister scoffs angrily.

“He canceled, of course. As he is want to do. But that wasn’t the worst part. No, the worst part was when I discovered that ten students from my very college would be randomly selected to take a trip on _his_ prized island…while he was _there_.”

“Rourke was _here?_ ” Sean asks.

“I sent him a furious letter.” Aleister continues. “And lo and behold, I got an email inviting me to come along after all. Perhaps he mean to make amends. Well, I wasn’t going to make amends. I planned to confront my father, tell him how I truly felt. To sever myself from this blasted family, once and for all. I planned all that…”

His face falls.

“But then we hit that storm…and now I realize how foolish I was. My father is gone. For all I know, deceased. And I’m stranded here, where I’ll probably die too. And he’ll never even know my true feelings.”

“Aleister…” I struggle to come up with anything I can say. “I’m so sorry-”

“I don’t need your pity, Cain,” he snaps.

Geez, you’re welcome.

“Whoa, hey!” Raj cuts in. “Cain was just-”

“What, offer me a shoulder to cry on?” he sneers. “I’m not some tragic mewling whelp, begging for your sympathy because my father never loved me. I’m an accomplished scholar. A scientist. An entrepreneur.”

“Cain was just trying to be sympathetic-” Sean starts.

“I don’t want sympathy!” Aleister yells. “I want validation! I want _my father!_ ”

We’re all silent for a while.

Wow…things _really_ went in a whole other direction than when we came up here.

“Aleister,” Quinn speaks. “I understand why you got yourself onto the trip…but why did you lie to us after we landed? Why not tell us the truth?”

“I didn’t trust you,” he says plainly. “I thought if you knew who I was, you’d want to blame me…or use my connections. Then, when the situation became clear, it was too late. I’d already lied…and I thought if you found out the truth, you’d assume I was involved.”

“Gee,” Jake mutters. “I wonder why…”

“I wanted to tell you. I did. But I-”

“Not to interrupt the therapy session,” Estela speaks up. “But is anyone else seeing that?”

She points out into the jungle, over the railing, and we see it.

Several columns of smoke reach out from the treetops, like outstretched fingers on a hand.

It’s them.

“The Watchers,” Craig says darkly.

“They ain’t hiding anymore,” Jake says grimly. “They’re gearing up.”

“Getting ready for war,” Estela nods.

“My guess is they’ll strike at first light.”

A shiver runs up my spine, and I honestly don’t know whether it’s from the cold wind or not.

This is it.

God, I hope those emergency shutters hold.

“I’m…uh,” Raj begins hesitantly. “I’m gonna go back downstairs.”

“Me too,” Michelle agrees.

“Yup,” Jake sighs. “No point staying up here.”

Next to me, Furball whimpers, nudging against my leg.

One by one, we all head back downstairs…

…but Aleister stays, gazing out into the night. 

* * *

 

We’re in the restaurant, and everyone’s scattered all over the place in smaller groups.

Raj and Zahra are hanging around the bar, mixing drinks.

I make my way over to them. I could use a drink right about now.

“I was gonna ask about that!” I hear Zahra say. “So are they, like, just the dudes from _Avatar_?”

“Naw,” Raj replies. “Those were, like, blue cat people. These are like blue-and-green plant people? Which reminds me…should we put something herby in it? Like some mint, maybe?”

“What are you guys up to?” I ask.

“Trying to make the perfect drink for the night,” Raj grins, looking weirdly cheerful. “Something that says ‘fun and friendship in the face of likely death’.”

“Nice,” I grin back. “With everything going on, a few drinks will probably lift everyone’s _spirits_.”

“Hah! Nice pun man!”

“And,” Zahra speaks up. “We might as well have a few drinks, just for old time’s sake.”

“Hey,” I begin. “This might be a weird thing to say…but I really do admire your optimism. You guys manage to find an upside in some pretty dark situations.”

Zahra shrugs.

“Raj is the optimist. I just like drinking.”

“Well, when you guys finish up the drink, I’d love to try one.”

“Will do!” Raj claps my back. “You’ll be our guinea pig!”

I leave the bar, and I spot Michelle and Craig lounge on couches near the restaurant’s entrance.

“I mean,” I hear Craig talking. “None of us _want_ to die…”

“I know,” Michelle says. “But…it would just be so unfair. I had a whole life planned out, and I’m not going to get to live _any_ of it. I was going to graduate with honors, do a medical residency in New York, become a world-renowned neurosurgeon…and get married to…never mind,” she shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s stupid. It just can’t all end here. Not like this.”

“Michelle,” I speak up, and they notice I’m here. “Just look at what we’ve survived so far!” I muster up an encouraging smile. “We outran a sabretooth tiger, fought a giant crab, braved a chamber of magma, outsmarted the observatory…”

“And remember” Craig grins. “That time I saved everyone from falling off a cliff? Cuz I totally did that.”

“Yeah, and all in less than a week!” I nod. “We’ve faced death a dozen times since we got here, and we _won._ Every time. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what the Watchers are going to try or what we’re gonna do. But I _do_ know where I’m placing my bet. On us.”

“Yo, Cain,” Craig says. “Not gonna lie. That was a corny-ass speech.”

“Uh-”

“But still, not bad, bra.”

“Yeah, it was corny, clichéd, and totally ungrounded in reality,” Michelle nods. “But it was actually kind of nice.”

I shrug.

“Well, I try.”

Spotting Iris and Lila stand by the sealed windows, I walk over to them next.

They don’t seem to notice me, instead focused on the defense shutters.

“Ah, yes,” Iris replies to something Lila says. “These are made of an experimental chromium-tungsten alloy.”

“Fantastic!” Lila grins. “Needless to say, no one is getting in.”

“Or out,” Iris says. “For the next twelve hours.”

Lila’s face falls.

“You mean…if someone _does_ get in…we’re trapped?”

“I can answer that question, but my Positive Social Interaction module suggests it might be better not to.”

“Well…I do like a good challenge!”

Okay, now I know for _sure_ , it’s possible to be aggressively optimistic.

“Indeed,” Iris agrees. “‘Appreciates adversity and responds well to pressure’ is listed as one of the dominant traits on your employee profile!”

Wait, what?

I though Iris couldn’t connect to Rourke’s databases…

“Iris,” I almost jump when I hear Lila speak again. “What else does it say about me?”

“Oh, plenty…‘Excellent outdoor skills’…‘Upbeat and encouraging attitude’…‘Could use some sensitivity training’…There’s more, of course, but it’s gamma classified. And my current build is only cleared for Epsilon and lower.”

_What?_

Thinking back…I remember the only file that had a clearance level of ‘gamma’ was Jake’s…

…and I learned that he had a _huge_ bounty on his head.

“Good,” Lila replies.

Jesus…

…who _are_ you, Lila?

“Oh, Cain!” she suddenly notices me, and I feel like a deer in headlights. “You startled me! Did you need something?”

“Um…” I stammer, trying to think of something, anything…“Did you know Aleister was Rourke’s son?”

“Well, yes,” Lila answers without missing a beat. “Of course. But Mr. Rourke always asked that we protect his family’s privacy, and I felt it was my duty to not expose Aleister.”

“Okay, I get normally…” I reply. “But like…even in _this_ situation? Maybe our survival is more important than company policy…?”

“A Rourke employee is always on the job!” Lila grins cheerily.

“It’s true,” Iris nods. “That’s item 7 in the company handbook.”

“Iris,” I turn to her. “Did _you_ know Aleister was Rourke’s son?”

“I do not have his personal file currently. But my scan of his DNA did suggest it.”

“Uh…how often do you scan our DNA?”

“Don’t answer that,” Lila says quickly.

“Hey, Iris, Lila,” I begin gently. “Is there _anything_ else you’re not telling us? Anything else you know about this place?”

“I’m telling you everything I’ve been cleared to tell you in my capacity as a tour guide for Rourke International!” Lila flashes another grin.

It’s either the lighting or my imagination…

…but it feels like Lila’s smile is a bit… _manic_ …

…no, neither.

It _is_.

“Right,” I nod, backing away without another word.

When I’m a fair distance from them, I notice Grace sitting at a table by herself.

In any other situation, she’d look like she just got stood up at a dinner date.

Is she still feeling bad about everything with Aleister?

I remember the two of them talking earlier…

…Oh crap.

Were we about interrupt a _confession?_

I walk over, and take a seat next to her.

“Hey,” I smile gently.

“Oh, hi, Cain,” she returns the smile, painfully forced.

“You, um…” come on, think of something. “You want a drink or anything? Raj and Zahra are making a signature cocktail.”

Grace shakes her head.

“No thank you. I don’t feel like drinking.”

“Is this about Aleister?” I ask.

“No,” she says quickly. “Well, yes…a little…”

Grace sighs.

“I get why everyone’s mad at him. He shouldn’t have lied. That was wrong, I agree. But…but I understand _why_ he did it. I understand why he felt like he had no choice. And he must feel so bad…”

“Is that all?”

“Look…I’m not the most… _socially skilled_ person in the world. That always got in the way of me making successful relationships. And when I looked at people who _have_ friendships, like you and Diego, Sean and Craig…I’d feel so jealous. Because at this point of my life, I felt like it was too late in my life to form any real relationships with people…and it’s odd, but here…I don’t know what it is, but I feel some sort of _kinship_ with everyone here…like I’ve known all of you my whole lives. I know, it might sound foolish-”

“Not at all,” I say. “I know what you mean.”

Grace nods.

“And with Aleister, I felt like we were kindred spirits. And, maybe I was misreading the signs, but I just…felt like I was _finally_ getting closer to him…like he was dropping his acerbic, bitter shell and showing m his real self. And that maybe, just maybe, I could handle making friendships and…well…” she blushes. “something a bit… _more._ ”

“I gotcha,” I smirk.

“Right,” she fiddles with her glasses to hide her embarrassment. “And now, I might never have a chance to tell him that I like him.”

“Well you’ve got right now,” I offer. “You should go tell him.”

“You think so?” she looks at me hesitantly.

“Look, we’re stranded on a mysterious island full of terrifying creatures, and there’s an army of blue and green elves gearing up to attack us. If there was ever a time to tell someone you like how you feel…it’s now.”

“A valid point, I guess,” Grace smiles wryly.

She takes several deep breaths, and then stands.

“Grace Tamara Hall,” she mutters. “You got this…”

She takes a few steps towards the exit, and then promptly turns around.

“Do you think you could maybe come with me? For moral support?”

I smile.

“Absolutely.” 

* * *

 

When we reach the rooftop, we find Aleister huddled against the railing, clutching his bleeding hand.

Around him are shards of broken glass.

Well then…

“Aleister!” Grace cries out, rushing to his side.

“Grace?” he asks, shocked. “What are you-”

“What happened?” she asks.

“I…I accidentally smashed a glass. Cut my hand. Quite unfortunate.”

“Here, let me see.”

“It’s fine,” Aleister snaps. “Just leave me be! I can handle it!”

“You’re bleeding badly, Aleister,” Grace frowns. “We need to wrap this up.”

Taking Aleister’s hand, Grace looks around.

“Here,” I tear a leaf off a plant in a flowerpot. “Use this!”

Grace takes it and wraps it around Aleister’s hand.

“Better?” Grace asks.

“Perhaps a little,” Aleister mutters. “Now _leave._ ”

“Wait,” Grace speaks up, but shrinks a little. “I…I wanted to…”

“I said go, Grace!” he snaps, but it lacks the usual bite. “Please, I beg of you!”

Okay.

Let it never be said I didn’t _try_ to be patient with Aleister.

“ _Hey, assface!_ Shut up and listen to her!”

Aleister and Grace both look at me, stunned.

“Go ahead, Grace,” I smile encouragingly at her.

“Oh, yes. Um…I just wanted to tell you how I feel. How I really feel. I know you’re not the most friendly person. I know it’s hard for you to open up, to connect with other people, to make friends.”

“Because I never needed them,” Aleister scoffs.

“Come on, Aleister. You know that’s not true. You’ve clearly had a hard life. And you built up these walls to protect yourself, to keep yourself from getting close to others, to keep them from hurting you…hurting you the way your father did.”

“And _what_ ,” Aleister looks steadily away. “Makes you so certain you know me so well?”

“Don’t you get it, Aleister?” Grace sighs. “I know because I’m _exactly the same_.”

That makes Aleister meet her eyes.

“My mother,” Grace begins. “Only cares about one thing; that I’m number one in everything, no matter the cost. All my life, I’ve had to deal with her pressure bearing down on my shoulders. I got straight As, prestigious awards…I interned at her company and excelled at all my tasks. And yet…”

“It was never enough,” Aleister finishes, and I see more emotion in his eyes than I ever had before.

Grace nods.

“Grace, I…I never realized we had so much in common.”

“Neither did I. And yet, in a weird way, I feel like maybe I kind of did. From the minute we got off that plane, I felt drawn to you. And as totally insane as this past week has been, I’m glad it gave the chance for that to happen. You’re smart and interesting, and you have a real kindness in you, deep down, like diamonds at the heart of a thousand feet of stone.”

“Grace, you…” he’s at a loss for words. “I…”

Wordlessly, she steps up close to Aleister, stretches on her tiptoes, and kisses him on the cheek

Red blooms on Aleister’s pale face.

“I _like_ you, Aleister.”

And then he smiles.

Not the typical haughty, smug smirks he always gives, but a _real, genuine smile._

“And…I like… _heavens!_ ”

Wait, what?

He holds up his hand, the one that was cut earlier. He unwraps the leaf, and…

_…whoa._

His cut is healed.

 _Gone_ , like it was never there in the first place.

“Remarkable,” Grace marvels.

“Truly!” Aleister gapes at his hand.

“The leaf! Perhaps it’s a hyper-evolved form of aloe…”

“It could be, but that doesn’t explain the rapid speed of recovery. It’s somehow reconstructed the cell tissue…”

“Amazing…” Grace’s eyes gleam. “Do you think that maybe it’s in relation to the serum generated by the…”

They start talking in what I dub as nerdish, and I decide my work here is done. 

* * *

 

When I make my way down to the lobby, I see everyone else there.

Jake is lounging by the bar, Estela practicing some moves with her spear by the doors, Sean is scanning hotel blueprints, and Quinn is sprawled on a chair.

Diego almost cartoonishly pops up from a corner, holding a bag of chips.

“Heya, Cain.”

“How you holding up, Diego?”

“Oh, you know,” he waves off. “Ups and downs, peaks and valleys. Found these in the kitchen,” he holds up his chips. “Gonna get murdered by a bunch of _Lord of the Rings_ rejects…so, the usual.”

I chuckle.

“At least you got some chips though, so that’s a ray of sunshine.”

“Salt and vinegar, baby!” He grins as he throws some chips in his mouth. “The best.”

He glances at the four others hanging around the lobby.

“So,” he starts. “You gonna…you know?”

“Am I gonna what?”

“Gah!” he cries out. “Do I need to spell it out for you?! _Make a move!_ ”

“ _What?_ ” I ask. Is he serious? At a time like _this?_

“Come on, Cain! I’ve seen the way you’ve been acting! Flirting, teasing, staring with those ‘Heart eyes motherfucker’! So what are you waiting for?! Go get that steamy R-rated action!”

“I…” I turn, glance, and then turn back to Diego. “Dude, _now?_ ”

“This might well be our last night on Earth, Cain! What better time than now?”

Well…

…he’s got a point.

A weird point, but nonetheless…

“Dude, I…I don’t think…”

I mean…

…after everything I’ve done, the person I was…still am…

…do I even _deserve_ that?

“Cain, look,” Diego drops the joke from his voice. “No matter how bad you say you were way back when…you’ve come a _long_ way from that.”

Dammit, I hate how much he knows me…

“And I’ll take full credit as your personal Yoda,” he continues. “But seriously, you gotta stop keeping others at a distance because you feel like you don’t deserve their friendship. You let _me_ in, and I’m pretty great!”

“You’re okay,” I laugh.

“Ignoring that,” Diego sighs. “Through our years of knowing each other, I’ve _never_ seen you date. You have got to stop blaming yourself for the past. Nobody’s ever perfect, but everyone deserves the chance to be _happy_. I’m not saying it’ll definitely work out, but you’ll never know unless you take a chance and make the first move.”

I look out again…and…

…he’s right.

I can’t find it in me to argue.

Plus, my mind runs through the number of people I wish I got to know better at Hartfeld, that I wish I asked for their numbers…

…and every time, I held myself back, because I didn’t feel like I _should…_

I immediately remember the advice I gave to Grace,

“ _Look, we’re stranded on a mysterious island full of terrifying creatures, and there’s an army of blue and green elves gearing up to attack us. If there was ever a time to tell someone you like how you feel…it’s now._ ”

Maybe…

…maybe it’s _not_ too late to start.

“Um…” I’m suddenly aware that I’m wearing the same clothes that went through a dip in the ocean and sweat from a sprint through the jungle. “How do I look?”

“Like an Asian Nathan Drake,” Diego shrugs. “Nah, scratch that. An Asian Nathan Drake that started a boy band. But seriously, you look _fine_. No go on, will you?!”

“Alright, alright,” I reach into Diego’s bag to get some chips for luck, but swats me away.

“Nuh-uh! You really want your kisses to taste like salt and vinegar?”

A sound argument, I guess.

“Oh! That reminds me,” Diego says, grinning. “I, uh… _may or may not_ have slipped some… _protection_ into your bag.”

WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING

“You’re telling me that I’ve been lugging around _condoms_ this whole time?!”

“You’re welcome. Now _shoo_.”

With that, he gives me a shove in the right direction.

No, really. A literal shove.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is comes! The big LI reveal! In the next update, I'm gonna be raising the fic rating...for certain reasons...wink-wonk!
> 
> Here's a note; if Cain hadn't made an official move with the LI’s, didn't kiss when he had the chance, it's because of him honestly feeling like he shouldn't be in a relationship, because every single one he's had was shallow.
> 
> Also, I expanded Grace’s dialogue in her scene, because I saw a post on tumblr calling out on how her character development revolved around her relationship with Aleister. I felt silly for not originally noticing this, so I decided to amend that in the story.


	43. The Confession

I walk over, and force myself to speak.

“Hey.”

Estela takes a break from practicing spear moves.

“Hello, Cain.”

“You, um, busy?”

Still time to back out.

“No, not really,” she shrugs. “I’m killing time until the Watchers attack.”

Come on, I can do this.

Worst case scenario, she says no, and we both go on our merry ways…

…and things will get super awkward between us…

…she’ll end up hating me…

…what became a tentative friendship will be stomped on and left to rot…

“Well, you know…” I pause for a second so I don’t fumble around too much.

Come on.

“I was just wondering if…”

JUST SPIT IT OUT

“ _Maybe you wanted to come with me to my room?_ ”

There. I said it.

Happy, Diego?

Estela looks at me cautiously.

“Hang out,” Estela says. “In your room. Just us?”

“Yeah,” I nod.

I’m not going to beat around the bush. I might as well be honest about my intentions…

“I…” she trails off, looking down, and…is she _sad_ or something?

Estela meets my eyes again, and…

…her eyes are glistening.

Oh no…

… _shit_ , I _knew_ this was a bad idea. I should just apologize and leave. What the fuck was I thinking?! She probably thinks that-

“Yes.”

And all at once, I’m happy and terrified all at once.

“I’d like that.” 

* * *

 

Soon, we enter my room…

Which I suddenly remember is the fucking _Honeymoon Suite_.

Well…

…I sure can pick ‘em.

“So,” Estela’s eyes wander around the suite. “This is your room.”

“Yeah, so go ahead and make yourself at home. I’ve got wine in the cabinet, and there’s a pretty great view out the window-”

“Cain,” Estela stops me. “Did you invite me up here to discuss your room?”

God, I’m an idiot.

I look at her solemnly.

“No. Not really.”

Estela steps towards me, and I notice she looks pretty tense…

Weirdly, that makes me feel a bit more at ease, knowing she’s as nervous as I am.

“Listen, I…” Estela blushes. “I’m not skilled at this sort of thing. I don’t exactly know what to say…or _do_ …”

“Well, uh…” I blush too. “What do you want?”

“I…” her blush deepens. “I want you to kiss me.”

I nod, even though my face is burning and my heart is racing.

With every step forward, my cheeks get hotter and my heart starts beating faster.

When I press my lips to Estela’s, it feels like fireworks are going off, but she flinches.

I pull away and look at her, silently asking permission.

Estela leans in, kissing me again.

I cup her face, and the kiss is getting deeper. Her hands are on my shoulder, and wandering around my torso.

I’m not sure how long we’re like this, but I’m the first to pull away because I’m out of breath.

“Was that okay?” I ask.

Estela’s still blushing as she nods.

“I want you to kiss me again…” she bites her lip. “And I want to touch you this time. To feel you.”

I reach down and pull my shirt off.

Estela sucks in her breath a little.

I lean in to kiss her again, and this time, along with the fireworks, I shudder as I feel Estela’s hands on my bare shoulders.

They’re shy at first, but soon, she’s stroking and traveling across my whole body…caressing, feeling…

This time, when I pull away, I start kissing her jaw, and I move to her neck.

“How’s that,” I ask as I suck on her pulse.

Estela’s response is a breathless moan.

She pulls away, unzips and shrugs off her hoodie, and guides my hands down to her shirt.

I pull it off, and I gaze at her form, moving my hands across her body, feeling the muscle under her warm skin…

“God,” I kiss her bare shoulders. “You’re perfect.”

“Shhhh,” Estela silences me with a kiss, and I move to her neck again, and then to her collarbone. All the while, we slide our hands along each other, feeling every inch.

“Here,” I guide her towards the bed. “Lie down.”

She eases onto the bed, pulling me with her.

“More,” Estela breathes. “Touch me. Feel me.”

I unclip her bra, and I hear her moans as I start kissing and sucking on her breasts. Estela buries her hands in my hair, and I lose myself in her warmth.

Going lower, I kiss her stomach, then her bare leg. I slip off her underwear, revealing her sex.

I press my lips to her clit, and she becomes much more vocal.

“ _Oh my god,_ ” Estela cries out.

As I suck and lick, she grabs my hair tighter. I can feel her legs nearly clenching my head.

“Please,” she begs. “More. _More._ ”

I keep pleasuring her, and after a while, I can’t take it anymore.

I pull away, and Estela looks confused and nervous.

“Just a sec,” I smile apologetically, and I run over to the sofa, where I left my bag earlier today.

After checking the smaller pocket, the one part of the bag I hadn’t used, I find, as Diego told me, several condoms.

After slipping one on, I’m back at the bed, and Estela impatiently pulls me up onto her and gives me a heated kiss. I wonder in the back of my mind if she can taste herself on me.

When we end the kiss, I look into her eyes, and we’re barely an inch apart. I can feel her breathing…I can even keep her thundering heartbeat…

…I’d almost say our hearts are beating in sync…

“I want you,” she says, not breaking the gaze for a second.

“I’m yours.”

I kiss her again.

Slow and steady, I enter her, and her fingernails dig into my back.

As I start thrusting, my hand goes between her legs, pleasuring her clit. We start aggressively kissing. Estela’s hands travel my body, burying into my hair and raking down my back.

My mouth travels down her neck, and she moans before nibbling my ear.

I’m vaguely aware of images popping into my head…even though my eyes are closed, I feel the scene shifting around us, first to a different room…

…then to a cave…

…then somewhere with a waterfall…

…all the while, I can’t keep myself from stopping. I continue kissing Estela, thrusting…I’m getting closer…closer…

Estela’s grip on me tightens, and she cries out as she comes. I bury my face into her neck, shuddering and moaning as I come soon after.

Panting, I roll off her. Estela takes my hand, and pulls herself close to me.

We’re now lying together, face to face. Our legs are tangled up, and we’re less than an inch apart.

“That,” I say, still breathless. “That was amazing.”

“Was it really?” Estela asks, smirking.

“Yes, really!”

“You…you should know,” Estela says shyly. “I’ve never done that before.”

“Seriously?” I can’t keep the disbelief out of my voice.

“Seriously,” she sounds embarrassed. “I just…I’ve never really trusted anyone like _that_. Not anyone I met.”

She looks down before looking me in the eye again.

“Until you. And I got to know you. And I felt this…this _yearning_ …that I’d never felt before. Have I been missing out this whole time? Is kissing always this good?”

Smirking, I lean in.

She kisses me back, and it lasts a good while. My brain buzzes and my heart hammers in my chest.

“I think,” I pull back when I’m smiling too much to continue. “Our kissing is exceptionally good.”

Estela rolls her eyes, but still grins.

“I’d like to think so.”

I run my hand along the curve of her hip, along her toned stomach.

“So you’ve never really dated before?” I ask.

She sighs.

“My life has been…let’s say atypical.”

“Atypical how?”

Estela looks up, and moves to rest on her back.

“My father abandoned my family when I was just a baby. So I was raised by my mother and uncle in San Trobia. My uncle taught me the ways of our family business. He taught me everything I know.”

She looks at me briefly, and then away again.

“How to hunt…how to fight…” Estela’s voice and eyes go hollow. “How to kill…”

“What…what kind of family business was that?” I ask.

“Killing dictators,” she says bluntly, but she avoids my gaze.

Whoa.

Gently, I take her hand and give it a squeeze.

Estela looks at our hands joined, and then to me.

“My mother though…she always dreamed of a better life for me. A peaceful life. A safe life.”

She sighs.

“That’s why she loved working for Rourke International…because it was our ticket out of there.”

“You mean your mom worked for Rourke?”

“Yeah,” Estela nods sadly. “When I was fifteen, she got reassigned to here. The Celestial. I stayed with my uncle, because no children were allowed…but she still mailed home a letter every week.”

She’s silent for a moment, and then her eyes go steely.

“Then one day…the last letter came. This one was different. It was handwritten, messy. My mother claimed she’d discovered something Rourke was up to…something illegal…something very dangerous. She…she was afraid for her life. She begged my uncle to come get her.”

Estela lets go of my hand, and makes a fist around the sheets beneath us. Her knuckles pale.

“The next day, we received another letter. Directly from Rourke International. It said my mother had died in a freak accident at the resort. But I knew even then, it was a load of shit. Everett Rourke killed my mother.”

“That’s why you came here,” I realize.

She nods grimly.

“I vowed, right then and there, that I had one mission, one goal…to avenge my mother, or die trying,” Estela squeezes her eyes shut, and lets out a sigh. “Of course, it wasn’t easy. How does a poor girl from San Trobia get close to the richest, most powerful man alive? I found out he had a son, little Everett Junior, enrolled in Hartfeld University under a fake name. I used my uncle’s connections to forge papers, to get me into the same school. And I was _so close_ to finding out who he was.”

“What would you have done with Aleister?” I ask hesitantly.

Estela shrugs.

“To be honest, I planned to take him hostage. Use him to get me close to Rourke. And then…get my revenge.”

“Damn…” is all I can say.

“Then I saw the contest. Ten students, selected for a trip here. To Rourke’s prized jewel. To the island where my mother died,” Estela laughs humorlessly. “I couldn’t believe my luck when I won…but I had to go, to join you on this trip if I was ever going to have a chance at my revenge.”

“You still want that?” I ask. “Is that still your mission?”

I mean…I know I have no right to get between her and her goal…

…but from the way Estela talked, she seemed like she didn’t care what happened to her in the process…

…and that _scares_ me.

For a while, she looks at me, running her fingers along my side.

“You’ve…shown me things I didn’t think were possible. Made me feel things I didn’t know I could feel. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”

“Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming,” I ask, my joke lacking humor.

“But Everett Rourke killed my mother. And that means he has to die.”

“Estela…” I struggle to come up with something to say, something I _could_ say…

She abruptly sits straight up in bed.

“Did you see that?” Estela’s gaze is kept towards the window.

“See what?” I ask, confused.

“Something went by,” she narrows her eyes. “Just outside the window…”

“What? Estela, we’re nowhere near the ground floor…”

“I know…but I’m sure I saw something…”

She gets up and approaches the window.

“Maybe a bird-”

Then, everything happens so fucking _fast_.

The window Estela’s at suddenly shatters.

I let out a surprised and undignified shriek.

Estela immediately jumps back, and goes into a prepared stance.

The hail of glass clears, and swinging in on a rope, is…

…it’s the maskless Lion-Mask.

He lands on his feet, and those yellow eyes lock with mine.

“ _Cain, look out!_ ”

Estela charges at the intruder.

Lion-Mask leaps with a roundhouse-kick.

Estela blocks the first kick, but a second slams her to the floor.

“ _Estela!_ ” I cry out.

“ **Do not resist,** ” he speaks, glaring at the two of us. “ **Accept your fate.** ”

“I don’t think so,” Estela growls.

Grappling the Watcher’s legs, Estela wrestles him to the floor.

God…what do I do…?

…if I help, I might get in the way…

They’re rolling on the ground, over each other. My mind races, thinking of something I can do-

-when I notice they’re rolling towards the-

“ _ESTELA NO-_ ”

-when I hear the sound, that sound of something _tearing_.

Estela cries out in pain.

Lion-Mask leaps up, stunned.

Somehow, I snap out of my stupor, and race to Estela’s side.

She’s on the floor and…

…oh my god…

I’ve never seen _so much blood_ in my life. A dark red circle is growing on the rug, around Estela.

From her stomach…

…is a _massive shard of jagged glass…_

“No…no no no no no…”

My hand hovers over the glass. No, if I remove it, she’ll bleed faster…

“Estela, look at me,” I grab her hand. “Just stay with me.”

_What do I do what do I do what do I do?_

“I…” Estela’s eyes look at me. Fading. Afraid. “Feel cold…”

“MICHELLE!” I scream at the top of my lungs. “SOMEONE! ANYONE! HELP US!”

“ **It was…** ” Lion-Mask’s voice echoes in my head, reminding me he’s still here. “ **She resisted. It was not meant to end like this for her.** ”

“ _Help her!_ ” I demand. “ _You said you need us, right?!_ THEN HELP HER!”

“ **Nothing can be done now,** ” he insists. “ **She is past healing.** ”

Estela’s hand’s growing cold…

…no…

This can’t be happening…this…

The world around me blurs, and I realize I’m crying.

“Don’t leave me, Estela,” I beg. “You can’t leave me…”

“There’s…so much…” her voice impossibly small. “I never got to do…but…at least I…got…to spend…one night…with…”

The light leaves her eyes, and her grip on my hand goes slack.

A few seconds pass, and the blood rushing in my ears quiets just enough for me to know I’m letting out a horrified scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Estela's the LI! I mean, some of you...or anyone who read ALL my other fics, might have guessed it.
> 
> Also, I haven't written smut in...LITERALLY years, so have mercy.


	44. The Watchers

This isn’t happening…

It can’t be…

But it is.

This is _my_ fault. I brought her up here. She died defending me.

 _I_ killed her.

This is happening again…

…all over again…

“ **This changes nothing.** ”

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and suddenly, everything freezes.

“ **You must come.** ”

Lion-Mask…

…he did this.

It’s _his_ fault…

…it’s _his_ fault…

IT’S HIS FAULT IT’S HIS FAULT IT’S HIS FAULT IT’S HIS FAULT

Sounds like a raging animal fill my ears. They’re mine.

My fist meets his face, and I start clawing at him.

“YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER YOU FUCKING BASTARD! YOU MURDERER!”

I’m an inch from gouging his eye out with my thumb when he shifts his weight, flipping me over and pinning me down. I’m still screaming, and I’m not even sure what I’m saying.

Instead of getting his eyes, my hand grabs onto a necklace he’s wearing.

_God, how did this happen?!_

It wasn’t meant to end like this…just a second ago, Estela and I were together, entwined in the bed, talking…smiling…

Suddenly, blue light fills my vision.

There’s a sound that feels like it’s coming from all around…

It’s like something’s tearing…

…not like a piece of paper, but…

… _everything_ …

What’s happening?!

What the fuck is-

“Have I been missing out this whole time? Is kissing always this good?”

I blink, and I feel the soft mattress beneath me and…

…I blink again.

It’s Estela.

“You’re quiet,” I hear her. “You’re weirded out by me, aren’t you?”

What the…?

Immediately, I sit up straight.

I look around the room. Twice.

It’s as normal as it was when I came in here today.

I look at the window.

No broken glass.

I hold up my hands.

No blood.

I look at Estela.

“Estela…” I begin, almost afraid of saying her name. “Is…is it really you…?”

She just keeps giving me a confused look.

I can’t take it anymore.

I hold her face, and examine every inch of her.

She’s real…

She’s _alive._

“Uh…Cain, what’s-”

I pull her into a hug, burying my face into her shoulder as I feel tears returning.

Blinking tears away, my blood goes icy when I notice I’m holding something…

…Lion-Mask’s necklace.

But…it was _glowing_ before…

Now, it’s as grey as steel.

Pulling away, Estela looks like she’s about to say something, but her eyes fall on the necklace.

“What the hell is _that?_ ”

“It was real…” I stare at the necklace in horror.

“What are you talking about?” Estela asks me.

This means…

Fuck.

We have to _hide_.

“Do you trust me?” I ask, and I realize how crazed I sound.

“I mean,” Estela lets out an embarrassed laugh. “That’s kinda obvious at this point.”

“Then I need you to come with me,” I take her hand. “ _Now._ ”

I pull her out of bed, and into my room’s closet.

I keep my eyes peering through the slits of the door, watching intently.

“Round two already?”

“ _Shh._ ”

I see a shadow passing over the moon, and-

Even though I know it’s coming, I still jump when the window shatters.

“What the hell?!” Estela whispers. “How did you-”

“ _Shh_.”

Lion-Mask, after recovering, stares around the empty room.

He searches the bed, dragging off the blanket.

He’s coming closer…

…he’s right in front of the closet.

I don’t move…I don’t breathe…I don’t even blink…

…for a second I’m afraid my heart’s pounding so fast he’ll hear it…

…finally, Lion-Mask shakes his head, turns, and goes out into the hallway.

“Too close for comfort,” Estela lets out her breath.

We step out of the closet.

Looking at the glass shards sprinkling the floor…

_…blood everywhere, her body going cold…_

I shudder.

“Make sure to stay clear of-”

“ _Stop,_ ” Estela takes my hand and looks at me. “Just stop, okay? Tell me what’s going on.”

Gulping, I tell her everything.

I hold up the necklace, the dull grey color of the stone reminding me of death.

“I wanted more than anything to be back in bed with you, before it all went wrong…and when I touched this, it came _true._ ”

She doesn’t look like she believes it. Hell, I don’t blame her.

“It can’t be…but…” Estela shakes her head, and narrows her eyes. “Doesn’t matter. Right now, that guy’s roaming the halls looking for us. We’ve got to warn the others.”

I nod.

“Right.”

We throw our clothes on, and leave the room. We’re about to go near the elevators when Estela pulls me against the wall and we peek around the corner.

There are two Watchers looking around the hall.

“We’ve got more company,” Estela whispers.

“How are they all getting in?” I gape.

“Not through the shutters,” Estela notes. “They must have gotten on the roof and swung down.”

“Dammit,” I mutter.

It was all for nothing. The emergency shutters didn’t work.

She turns to me.

“I know the timing sucks,” Estela frowns. “But we’ve gotta split up if we’re gonna warn everybody in time.”

“I don’t want to leave you either,” I admit. “But you’re right.”

“Just…be careful, alright? Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

She pulls me into a warm, passionate kiss before jogging off down the hall.

Alright. I gotta find the others.

But first I need to get past these Watchers.

Turning the other way, I stay flush against the corner.

I hear the two Watchers speaking.

I can make it down this hall…

…but the hall bisecting it has the two Watchers searching rooms.

Come on, turn around…

…one turns around…

…come on, come on…

…and so does the other!

I dart across the hall, hoping that they can’t hear me…

…when I make it across, I stay deathly still…

…I made it.

Okay, no time to celebrate my ninja skills. Gotta move forward.

I keep going, and suddenly, I run into a flash of blue.

“Iris?!” I force myself not to scream.

“I apologize for frightening you, Cain.”

“Yo,” Raj materializes. “You should see your face right now.”

He throws a handful of Captain Crunch from a box into his mouth.

“What are you guys even doing?” I whisper.

“Talking’ ‘bout life and stuff, you know,” Raj shrugs. He frowns, the lowers his voice. “Wait, why are we whispering? Should I be whispering?”

I fill them in.

“They’re here?!” Raj panics in whisper. “In the resort?! Crap crap crap crap!”

“This is an unfortunate development,” Iris says. “A pity. I had quite enjoyed my brief time knowing Raj.”

“What matters,” I speak up. “Is warning the others ASAP. The Watchers have to search every room, so we have the advantage. If we hurry, we can beat them.”

“Alright,” Raj takes deep breaths. “Let’s go.”

We advance down the halls towards the elevator.

Before we make a turn, something on the wall glints on the corner of my eye.

I turn as see a pirate cutlass mounted on a frame next to a matching scabbard.

I gaze at it, and…

…I feel the static coming again.

“Noice!” Raj marvels at the sword. “That’s a dope-ass _Pirates of the Caribbean_ sword they got for a decoration!”

“A weapon like that would certainly come in handy in a siege situation,” Iris agrees.

“Agreed,” I nod, pulling the sword from the wall.

Wait a second…

…is it vibrating or something?

The static’s getting more intense…

…Raj says something, but I don’t know what he says as the entire world _changes_.

I’m…

…in a gold mine.

Just like the gold mine from the underground tunnels!

I feel my own hand tightening on the sword…

…but it’s not my hand.

It’s older, more tanned, and hairier.

This is exactly like when I possessed Raj.

I hear screaming.

All around me, pirates are fighting off masked Watchers.

And from how fast the pirates are dropping, I take it they’re not winning.

The Watchers give off mighty war cries as they overtake the pirates.

One pirate falls next to me, blood pouring from his chest.

He looks up to me desperately.

“ _Captain…help us…_ ”

The captain’s body moves to help the man-

AH!

The captain gives voice to my cries of pain.

He has enough time to look down as he sees an arrow jutting out of his chest before several more take its place.

The minute the captain hits the ground, I’m back in my own body.

Yelping, I almost fall over before Raj grabs me and helps me steady myself.

“You okay there, Cain?” he asks. “You just spaced out and then looked like you saw a ghost.”

“I…” I shudder. “I think I found out what happened to the pirates who landed here…and it wasn’t good.”

I remember the skull Quinn and I found in the tunnels.

God…

…I _really_ don’t like this island.

“I detect a surge of unidentifiable energy just now,” Iris comments. “It appeared to be emanating from Cain.”

What?!

Okay, that doesn’t sound healthy at all…

…but there’s no time for that.

“I wanna know all about that later. Right now, we need to deal with the Watchers.”

After sheathing the sword in its scabbard and slipping it into my belt, we make our way to an intersection…

…I hear a sound.

A sound I was happy _not_ to hear for a while.

Moving as slowly as I can, I look down the other hall.

Alongside a pair of Watchers is the sabretooth.

“It appears,” Iris says at a lower volume. “The intruders have brought a hunting beast.”

“You’re telling me,” Raj whisper-yells. “That the sabretooth is the plant people’s _pet?!_ ”

I _really_ don’t like this island.

The sabretooth perks up, and sniffs the air.

The Watchers notice.

“He smells us!”

“It’s my Citrus Krush!” Raj gulps.

“What? I thought you were eating Captain Crunch?”

“Not my cereal man, that’s the strain of, um… _medicinal substance_ I was smoking tonight!”

“What? You’re _high_ at a time like this?!”

Raj ignores me, looking back and forth from me, to Iris, to the tiger, to his cereal…

“I’ll lead the cat the other way,” a determined look crosses his face. “Oughta give you guys some time.”

“What?!”

“Raj, are you certain?” Iris asks.

“No!” I hiss. “There’s got to be-”

“Look, the cat already smells me. I might as well lead him on a little chase and give you two a chance.”

“Raj, I-”

“Now _go!_ ”

Raj scampers back the other way.

With no choice, I press forward, and Iris follows me.

I catch the sabretooth prowling out, sniffing where we just were…

…it goes in Raj’s direction, not even turning towards us.

Dammit…

…you _better_ find us again, Raj.

“My goodness,” Iris speaks up. “My projections for his bravery were far outside the margin of error.”

“People will surprise you,” I smile bitterly. “Come on, let’s keep going.”

We make our way to the elevator, and I hit the button for the floor I remember to be the closest room from this one; Grace’s.

The elevators open, and I carefully peek out.

The coast is clear.

“Iris,” I say. “I need you to go and scout the Watcher’s positions.”

“Excellent idea,” she nods. “Right away.”

The hologram winks out, and Iris’s drone flies off.

I go quickly and quietly to Grace’s room, and knock as softly as I can.

I wait a few seconds before knocking again.

“Grace,” I call out, my voice low. “It’s Cain. I need to-”

The door opens, and-

Oh.

It’s Aleister.

And his shirt is untucked…

“Uh…”

“I…we…nothing!” he stammers, his pale face gone bright red. “We were just talking!”

“Cain?” Grace comes at the door. “What’s happening?”

I enter the room, and catch them both up on everything.

“All that work barricading,” Aleister mutters. “The traps…all for naught. They still caught us unprepared.”

“I know we’re on the ropes here,” I say. “But we’ve gotta focus. We have to get everyone together, somewhere safe.”

“What about that security center hidden behind the game room?” Grace asks. “That’d be safe.”

“Great idea, but there’s a problem. Some of the others’ rooms are in the other wing of the tower.”

“Right,” Grace’s face falls.

“Look,” I begin. “You guys go straight to security and tell everyone you find. I’ll go get the others and meet you there.”

“Don’t be a fool, Cain,” Aleister snaps. “You, Grace, and I are far the lives most worth saving here. It’s positively asinine to risk yourself for them, and I’m sure they would agree.”

“Aleister!” Grace scowls. “We’re not leaving anyone behind!”

“Right,” I nod, then turning to Aleister. “And as flattered as I am that you think I’m worth saving, they’re our _friends_. They’re _all_ worth saving,” how firmly I speak surprises me, and apparently, Aleister.

“Well…of course…you’ve merely proven to be worth the air you breathe. Don’t let it go to your head.”

“I won’t,” I chuckle.

“Now remember,” Aleister continues. “The paint balloons are in the boutique at the shopping level. The oxygen tank is in the kitchen. If you insist on putting yourself in harm’s way, make full use of them.”

“Right. I’m off. You two be careful.”

I prepare to leave, but Grace grabs my arm.

“Um, Cain?” she starts. “Could I ask you a really big favor?”

She hands me a folded piece of paper.

“If something happens to me tonight…could you give this note to my mom? There’s…a lot I wanted to tell her.”

God…

…from what I heard Grace tell Aleister, I can only imagine what she must have written down…

“Grace,” I say gently. “You can tell her yourself when we get out of here-”

“ _Please_. I’m asking you, Cain.”

I pocket the note and nod.

“I’ll make sure she reads it. But we’re gonna get through this,” I give one last encouraging smile before heading out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so...
> 
> ...guess I've got some 'splainin' to do.
> 
> The reason for the late update is that I've been wrapped up in my own stuff. I won't give you the gory details, but the gist of it is that I've been wrestling with personal biz and plans after graduation. Plus, my grad program starts soon, so come September, I'll be updating even slower.
> 
> But rest assured, I have EVERY intent of finishing this story and its sequels (and maybe a oneshot fic), no matter how dead the fandom gets!
> 
> Now, I originally wanted to do an interlude after the last chapter, but after the long hiatus, I figured I might as well save that for later. Chapters that follow ES canon is basically too damn easy, so I could mass produce that sh*t. The interludes are a tad harder, since they require original and creative thought. And my laziness can't allow that. We'll be getting an interlude come next update. Cookies to whoever guesses who it's for!


	45. Craig’s Interlude

Okay, one more.

I push with everything I have and hold for a few secs…

…OKAY I’M GOOD!

I drop the weights back on the racks with a slam. My arms drop down limp.

Okay…I’m _seriously_ rethinking bench pressing without a spotter.

But no one’s awake at… _3AM?!_

Christ, I’m such a masochist.

I know Sean would volunteer, but there’s no way I can ask that of him. He’s got his own stuff to deal with, so he needs as much sleep as he can get.

But he knows I go to the gym late at night…or morning. Whatever. Sean likes to pretend he doesn’t know when I _know_ he knows, but he’s never said anything.

I wonder if he knows I know he knows? Gah, I ain’t makin’ any sense.

Besides…he’s always goin’ off doing his own thing, so why can’t I?

My arms are on fire as I sit myself up and grab my water bottle and start chugging.

Even if it’s stupid…it ain’t exactly easy to break a habit you had since you were twelve.

When I was a little kid, before Joey was even born, I was like… _seriously_ tiny. My folks say I was born premature, and that’s why I was so wimpy.

A lesson I learned early on in life is that being weak _sucks._

And the kids at school, they’d never let me forget it. No matter how many grades I moved up, I’d always stay the same: the school’s scrawny punching bag.

That’s why I spent all of middle school bulking up. I don’t know what made me wait that long though. I had a ton of chances to do that before. Maybe I was just sick of everything. Like one of those psychos in horror movies, I just snapped.

Hey, I didn’t don a hockey mask, so that’s points for me!

All I knew was that I wanted things to change.

Middle school was also the time Joey was born.

For those two years, I’d run until I was wheezing and lift weights until my arms felt like they’d fall off. I’d work like I need a change in the next minute.

The minute high school started, I tried out for the football team.

No one on the football team got beat up for mocked. Therefore, if I was on the football team, no one would mess with me. Simple math.

I gotta admit, even now, thinking about the look on everyone’s faces when I made the team gives me a good fucking laugh-

Aw shit, I got water everywhere!

Whatever. Might as well shower and head back.

But making the team wasn’t a real win. I dunno. Maybe someone smarter than me can put it in some poetic way or some shit.

Even if no one gave me trouble anymore, no one hung out with me much. To be fair, I never did either. I knew them as all the dicks that treated me like crap, and they all remembered the nerd I used to be.

Except Joey.

That’s why all this…

He never had the chance to know the loser I used to be, just the football player. He’d always look at me like I was some kinda celebrity.

That’s part of why I’m doing this.

This is my last semester.

Last chance to get scouted in the NFL and have any chance of a future.

It’s not just that.

I can’t afford to slip up, because this is all I got.

I put _so much_ into football that I don’t know how to do nothing else.

Me minus football…

…equals _what_ exactly?

That’s an answer I don’t ever wanna know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be the first to admit that I hated Craig for the first few chapters I knew him, but f*ck, he's such a cinnamon roll.
> 
> So I've been having some thoughts...
> 
> For those of you who are familiar with the song "This is War", by 30 Seconds to Mars, most characters in fandoms are equated with several song lines; "To the Soldier, the Civilian, the Martyr, the Victim, this is war." If you hadn't heard the song before, I'd highly recommend it! Anyway, I decided to do that with ES!
> 
> Now, if I have decent art skills or photo-editing, then I'd put it together. But alas, I'm a mere writer, so we'll have to rely on the imagination.
> 
> The Good: Quinn  
> This is kinda self-explanatory. She’s the morale of the group, encouraging everyone and being the team’s heart.  
> The Evil: Lila  
> Unpopular opinion, but I don’t hate Lila. She was conditioned by Rourke into doing horrible things because he filled in the role of being the family she hadn’t had for so long. In the end, she saw that she was on the wrong side and sacrificed herself for the group. I named Lila as the Evil because of how she wrestled with right and wrong. I thought about doing Rourke for this, but it would be too damn predictable.  
> The Soldier: Jake  
> Also self-explanatory.  
> The Civilian: Diego  
> Before everything, Diego was just an average guy with nothing seemingly special about him. But throughout the story, he rose to the occasion, being the hero he always admired MC to be.  
> The Martyr: Craig  
> Mostly based off his Catalyst Idol and a vision from his future the Endless showed MC. He sacrifices himself twice, because he believes that there’s nothing left for him back home since he didn’t get drafted. Craig’s even willing to stay on La Huerta despite the dangers.  
> The Victim: Aleister  
> Since he was born, he was subject to his father’s neglect and abuse. He was made for the purpose of being Rourke’s double, just to be discarded. Aleister was a victim of something he never asked for and never even knew about.  
> The Prophet: Raj  
> I had some trouble with this, but I figured Raj would be the best choice. In the myths, Chiron was a mentor to heroes, wise and thoughtful. AKA, Raj ;)  
> The Liar: Zahra  
> This is also based off his Catalyst Idol. She spent five years sucking up to Rourke and pretending to betray her friends, just to get close to him so she could destroy him.  
> The Honest: Grace  
> This fit Grace’s character the best out of all the other titles to me, honestly (punny, I know)  
> The Leader: Sean  
> I thought about making him the Martyr, but in the end, Sean fit the bill for this title better.  
> The Pariah: Estela  
> I thought about having Estela as the Soldier, but unlike Jake, she doesn’t make much of an effort to socialize or interact with the others, so I figured this title would suit her better.  
> The Victor: Michelle  
> Her whole life, Michelle made herself succeed in all things, so this title would fit her like a glove.  
> The Messiah: Cain (MC)  
> Literally something I read on tumblr, describing MC is an alien-messiah.


	46. The Traps

After parting ways with Grace and Aleister, I take the elevator down to the lobby.

The trip down feels like an eternity, and for one irrational moment I’m almost afraid that a Watcher is going to materialize in the elevator.

Finally, the elevator dings. The door opens, and-

Shit.

Across the lobby, right in the view of the doors is a group of Watchers.

They spot me, and they’re running towards me at unnatural speed.

Dumbly, I freeze, until I hear a familiar voice.

“Cain! This way!”

I race to where I heard Diego. I focus my mind. We can’t fight them head on, so…

“We gotta lead them into the traps!” I yell.

“Well? Where are they?!”

“Get to the shops!”

We find the nearest staircase, and I don’t dare look back.

We reach the shopping level, and I lead Diego to the boutique.

Right in the middle, is a pyramid of filled up, multicolored balloons.

We both pick up a balloon, and turn towards the door.

“Hope your aim is good,” Diego says.

“God, I wish Sean was here,” I mutter.

Immediately, the Watchers rumble into the shop, and I throw the balloons as soon as I can see their yellow eyes.

With every splat, I keep throwing, and so does Diego. Some of the balloons make a direct hit to the face, but we don’t dare stop to brag.

The Watchers cry out, some tearing their masks off and rubbing at their eyes.

“We’re out of balloons,” Diego tells me as I absentmindedly reach for another. “Keep moving!”

We race out of the shop, but I can hear a few more Watchers pursuing us.

“We got a few stragglers!” Diego yelps.

“To the kitchen!” I shout. “Quick!”

We make it to the kitchen, and I desperately look around for the trap…

And I see it.

At the far end of the kitchen is the oxygen tank, resting horizontally on a serving cart.

“That’s it!” I beam.

“What are we supposed to do with this?!” Diego asks incredulously.

I hear the door slam open. I turn, and see two Watchers…

…oh crap.

It’s Skull.

She glares at me through her mask, scraping the edges of her knives together as she growls in her language.

I guess she remembers me too.

“ _We’ve got incoming!_ ” Diego cries.

“No,” I grab a meat hammer. “ _They’ve_ got incoming.”

I position the tank towards them, and slam the hammer down on the valve.

The valve snaps off, and in a smoky plume, the tank shoots towards the Watchers like a rocket.

It hits one of them, and the impact knocks over a shelf full of pots and pans right onto Skull.

“Bullseye!” Diego grins like a child. “That oughta buy us some time!”

“Come on!” I grab his hand. “Back to the lobby!”

We race into the lobby, and…

…what the…

There are reflections on the floor…

…it’s water.

“Lila’s trap!” I remember. “The light switch!”

I see a pair of thick electrical cables resting in the water, and follow their path. Maybe there’s a safe place to hide…

…we come to Lila, about to throw the switch.

“Cain! Diego!” she cries out. “Hurry!”

Immediately, we sprint across the flooded section of the lobby.

Pretty soon, we hear the Watchers shouting, splashing in the water from behind us.

Finally, we make it out.

“Hope this doesn’t come as a _shock!_ ” Lila giggles.

She throws the switch, and electricity crackles through the water.

All the Watchers begin to spasm and stutter as who-knows-how-many volts run through their bones.

I see that one of them is Owl.

They leap out of the water, and promptly run away.

“Wasn’t that awesome?!” Lila grins, and…I might be wrong, but I can almost see a manic gleam in her eyes.

“Um, thanks,” I laugh nervously. “Thanks for waiting, Lila.”

“Seriously,” Diego shudders. “Remind me never to get on your bad side!”

“No sweat!” she waves off. “Did you like my one-liner? I spent all day thinking of it!”

“Yeah, it was…great…”

The Watchers are out of sight, and I notice something smells acrid.

“Is something burning?” I ask.

“Oh! Um…” Lila looks around. “Over there, behind the concierge desk.”

I look to see a perfect square in the wall has caught fire.

Okay, that’s not normal.

“What the hell?” Diego gapes.

“There must be something in the wall those wires were powering,” I deduce. “Shorting it out started the fire.”

“What is it, though?” Lila asks.

I grab a nearby fire extinguisher and put out the flames.

When the smoke settles, I see, in a hidden compartment in the wall, a charred, wooden box with an engraving.

“What _is_ this?” I gasp.

Diego reaches for it and picks it up.

“It says, ‘Rourke Diaries, La Huerta, 1980’.”

“Oh, I'm sure it's nothing,” Lila says. Too quickly. “We probably want to leave that right there, huh? You know, privacy and all.”

“Considering,” Diego scowls. “That Rourke has hidden cameras all over this hotel, I’m not really concerned about _his_ privacy.”

“Let’s check it out then,” I say. “What Rourke himself knew about this place might give us some answers.”

Diego lifts the lid.

“Aah, wait!” Lila protests nervously, but we ignore her.

He pulls out for yellowed pages of paper. The stiff smell of sea salt hits me, and on the paper is elegant cursive.

“1980, June 3,” Diego recites. “Alas, I am shipwrecked. My dear vessel dashed upon the rocks. A sudden squall of ferocious lightning the color of flames forced me aground this damned rock. Unbridled, uninhabited, unworthy of my presence, let alone my grave.”

Yeesh, what an arrogant prick.

The more I learn about this guy, the less I like him.

“I will not perish here alone,” Diego keeps reading. “Forgotten in the wild, far from my beloved. Furthermore, the boys at the regatta would have quite a chuckle if I succumbed in such untoward fashion. I simply cannot abide that.”

Diego moves to the next page.

“1980, June 11. A childhood hunting big game with my father at last pays its dues. Repair to my sailboat is impossible, but I've reconquered fire, shelter, and weaponry in the name of mankind. It grows ever more important to chronicle my experiences here, for they seem stranger by the day. My eyes betray me, offering impossible visions or great beasts of antiquity. Even the constellations play tricks. I see Aquila, Serpens, Hydra, yet Orion and Taurus hide from me. I must write to maintain my wits. For a man's wits are all he has to confront the great evils of nature.”

More talk about the constellations.

Aquila, Serpens, and Hydra…

…Hydra…

…that’s who Lion-Mask said we work for…

“ _All men of the Hydra bring harm_.”

Turning to the next page, Diego keeps reading.

“1980, June 15. A curse remade into blessing by sheer force of will. That is what this island will be for me. A vision came, bearing witness to this refuge's true potential deep within its volcanic core, as if a voice from God. But God spoke in my voice, because here I shall be God.”

What the…

_…what the hell?!_

What is that supposed to mean?!

Diego keeps reading, and he’s gotten noticeably paler.

“1980, June 30. “Harnessing the island, I have achieved the impossible. My ship is repaired, and I venture home to my beloved. But I will return. And when I do, I will tame this power to make and unmake mountains and men, who both rise and fall under the same awesome celestial forces. This island will be my legacy. It will be my destiny.”

We’re all quiet for a while.

“So,” I speak up. “Rourke was shipwrecked here almost forty years ago.”

“Of course,” Lila says. “That’s no secret.”

“But he found something here. Something powerful.”

“What was he even talking about?” Diego asks, perplexed.

“And he’s talking about the stars being different.”

Diego nods.

“Right. I haven’t seen the usual constellations at night here.”

We hear shouting from down the hall.

Dammit, that must mean the Watchers found a way around Lila’s trap.

“We have to hurry!” she exclaims. “Come, follow me!” 

* * *

 

We manage to make it safely to the other wing of the tower, getting Michelle and Craig.

Together, we all make it back to the game room, and seal ourselves behind the secret door.

When it’s closed, I turn to do a head-count-

“Dudes!” Raj immediately grabs me and Diego in a fierce hug.

“Raj! You made it!” I hug him back.

“It’s a good thing tigers don’t know how to use elevators!” Raj pulls away, grinning right before frowning. “Or _do_ they…? How’d it even get up there in the first place?”

“At least we’re all here,” Sean says, moving in for the next hug.

“Glad you didn’t get Jumanjied,” Jake claps my back.

Estela comes up to me, looking relieved.

“You’re okay.”

I immediately hug her, and she returns the embrace.

When I pull away, Zahra speaks up.

“So, everyone’s alive. Nice.”

I grin.

“You’re not gonna get sappy on me, are you Zahra?”

She flushes.

“I’m not! I’m just…gah! I was _this_ close to bailing on the lot of you! Don’t make me regret not going ‘Every Woman For Herself’.”

“Erm,” Aleister scratches the back of his neck. “Glad to see no one has perished.”

Furball hops onto my shoulder and starts licking my face.

“I missed you too, little guy,” I laugh.

“Yo, Cain,” Craig points to the sword sheathed at my hip. “Is that a straight-up _pirate sword_? Bad. Ass.”

“That’ll come in handy,” Estela nods approvingly.

“Indeed!” Lila grins. “I’m guessing you could decapitate an opponent in two, maybe even _three_ chops!”

“Cain,” Iris’s holographic form speaks. “I completed your assignment. Downloading scouting report.”

The room’s monitors flicker, showing blueprints of the hotel. Bright blips appear, and I guess those represent the Watchers.

“Nice work,” Jake smirks. “This oughta help us figure a way outta here.”

Suddenly, the sealed doorway starts pounding, and we go deathly quiet.

Several voices outside the door shout in the Watchers’ language.

Oh no…

No, no no no no no…

“Will it help us figure a way past _that?_ ” Michelle demands. “They’re right outside.”

“What are we supposed to do?” Quinn asks. “We’re safe for now, but we’re completely cornered here.”

Blood starts rushing through my ears.

The door won’t last forever…

We’re cornered.

No way out.

This…this is it then…

Suddenly, I feel so damn _angry._

Angry at Rourke for bringing us here, angry at the Watchers, angry at Lion-Mask…

No, fuck this.

I’m _not_ running away. I’m not weaseling out of this or talking my way out.

It’s either us or them.

Time to face things head on for once.

“There’s only one thing we _can_ do,” I say. “Now that we’re all together, we regroup…and we _fight_ our way out.”

“Fight?!” Craig asks, shocked. “With what?”

“And to _where?_ ” Grace frowns.

“Not too many of the Watchers got in,” Jake speaks. “Thanks to locking down the resort _and_ sealing off that secret entrance. We won’t have to face too many…and that gives us time.”

“Time for _what_ ,” Aleister asks sarcastically. “Pray tell?”

Jake points to a spot in the blueprint.

“I was rummaging around here earlier in the week. They’ve got a ton of parasailing gear in storage.”

“Um,” Grace begins shakily. “Is he saying what I think he’s saying?”

“We get the parasailing chute,” I nod. “And _jump off the roof._ ”

Jake shrugs.

“The long and short of it.”

“Where ‘long’ is our fall,” Aleister sighs. “And ‘short’ is our remaining lifespan.”

“Aw, hell naw!” Craig shouts. “Have you lost your damn mind?!”

“Chill, Craig!” Raj snaps. “I don’t see you coming up with any better ideas!”

Suddenly, everything dissolves in a cacophony of shouts. Either against the decision or supporting it.

Dammit, this is no good.

“Guys, hold on!” I yell, but my voice is a whisper compared to all of them. “Guys-”

A shrill whistle sounds.

“ _Hey!_ ” Michelle snaps. “Cain is trying to talk! So listen up!”

“I’m just saying-” Craig tries.

“Nothing,” Michelle cuts him off. “You’re saying nothing, because Cain is the only one who’s had their head on straight since we got here! So zip it!”

With that, everyone falls silent.

She turns to me, smiling warmly.

“Go ahead, Cain.”

Okay…

…I’m _really_ glad I’m not on her bad side.

“Uh, right. Thanks, Michelle,” I nod gratefully. “It’s simple now. We have a choice.”

“What _choice?!_ ” Aleister demands. “We have as much choice as any cornered animal; _none!_ ”

“No, that’s wrong!” I refute. “In times like this, we always have a choice; to either hold back, hesitate, be afraid…or you can choose to face the odds head-on and give it your all, to hell with whatever comes!”

“Alright,” Craig pumps his fist. “I’m in. To the very end.”

“Let’s do this,” Grace nods, smiling.

“Alright then,” Jake speaks. “I’m opening the door on three. When I do, everyone, full speed ahead.”

Everyone tenses up, and I prepare myself.

Suddenly, Diego comes up next to me.

“Hey, Cain,” his voice is quiet. “I just wanna say before it all goes down…thank you. For everything.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“ _Three,_ ” Jake begins the count.

“It probably sounds dumb,” Diego continues. “But I feel like you made my life special. Extraordinary. Even if was a dumb foodie crawl or dragging me to so many parties.”

“ _Two…_ ”

“Maybe I was always cut out to be a sidekick, but if so, then I’m glad I was _your_ sidekick.”

Sidekick…

“Because, honestly, you’ve been my hero. So even if I lose you right now, I just wanna say thanks.”

“Diego…”

There’s not much I can say in the span of a few seconds…

…I want to tell him _I_ should be thanking _him_. For how much he did for me. And that he’s anything _but_ a sidekick.

“ _One_.”

“You’re not going to lose me, Diego. That’s a promise.”

Jake unseals the hatch, and then it all begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raj brings up a good point. Yes, tigers can’t use elevators…
> 
> …so HOW did T’Kaal get up there?!
> 
> HOOOOOOOOW?!


	47. The Fight

Tightening the grip on my cutlass, I’m the one who storms out first.

“ _Let’s do this!_ ” I yell. “ _Come on, follow me!_ ”

“Hell yeah!” Raj cries out.

Pumped on adrenaline, we make it out and into the game room.

I raise my sword, I let out a war cry, ready to put the sword to use-

-wait, _what?!_

The room’s empty.

Not a single yellow eye in the room.

“Um…guys…?”

“Where on earth could they have gone?”

Estela furrows her brown, and looks up at the ceiling.

Her eyes go wide, and I realize what’s happening.

“They’re above us-”

They begin to drop from above.

Ah shit.

One, two, three-

AH!

The bastard’s got me in a headlock!

He starts shouting in his language, and I’m a second from losing my grip on the sword-

The Watcher cries out.

Suddenly, I’m free, and the Watcher is on the ground, out cold.

Rubbing my neck, I turn to see Craig doing what I guess is a “tough-guy” pose.

“Yeah, there’s more where that came from! All you can eat!”

“Thanks Craig!” I nod gratefully.

“For sure,” he nods back. “Ain’t nobody messin’ with my clique.”

“Keep pushing forward!” Sean shouts. “We can cut through the ballroom!”

We scramble through the halls, and when we open the doors to the ballroom…

…there are a dozen very _beefy_ Watchers waiting for us…

…and with them…

_Lion-Mask._

Anger fills me again, and all the adrenaline and energy I have is now multiplied.

His eyes meet mine.

“ **Surround them. Fan out.** ”

“Guys!” I shout. “They’re gonna surround us-”

Before I can even finish, the Watchers respond to their leader’s command.

Dammit.

“Stay close, people!” Sean calls out. “Watch each other’s backs!”

“Cain, get down-”

Michelle tackles me, and then I feel myself get caught under…

“Oh crap!” I swear. “A net!”

Michelle and I are trapped beneath the Watcher’s vine net.

“ _This,_ ” she glares at me. “Is what I get for trying to help you!”

“Hold still,” I try to raise my sword. “I can get us out of here!”

Wriggling around, I’m able to turn the cutlass against the vines.

“Oh my god, if you cut my hair, you are _dead!_ ”

“Just…a little…more… _there!_ ”

The blade slices through the vines like string, and we’re both free.

“Whew,” Michelle gets up. “Good thing I was there to save your ass.”

Before I can reply, a dark blur flies past us, grazing Michelle.

I turn, and see a round-tipped arrow bounce off the ground.

“Ow!” I look back at Michelle, and she’s clutching her arm. “What the hell?! I can’t move my arm!”

“The arrows must be tipped with some sort of non-lethal paralytic!” Grace calls out. “ _Look out!_ ”

I see a Watcher aiming an arrow straight at me.

I don’t even have time to move as it flies, or even wince…

“Fifteen-love, chump!”

Raj is right in front of me, holding a frying pan that deflected the arrow.

I look at the pan.

It’s the same pan with that weird symbol. The one I found in his dossier.

“Dude,” I gape. “You still have the frying pan?”

He shrugs.

“I just…felt like I was supposed to!”

Furball’s yelping takes my attention.

Almost surrounded by the icy mist coming from his mouth, I can see he’s slowing down.

“Something’s wrong with Furball!” Quinn cries out. “He’s getting weaker!”

“I think he’s dehydrating!” Grace replies.

…dehydrating…

He needs water.

I look around…

…I have an idea.

I race towards the fire alarm, and yank it on.

The alarm bell sounds, smothering the noise of any battle.

“Why in damnation would you-”

“ _Look!_ ”

The sprinklers begin spinning, ejecting water, making the entire ballroom rain.

Furball lets out a surprised sound at the falling water, but…

…whoa.

He’s… _shimmering._

The fox takes a deep breath, and…

…a _massive_ hail of ice and snow barrages the Watchers.

“Wow!” Quinn marvels. “Quick thinking, Cain! And even better shooting, Furball!”

In the chaos, I see Diego knocked to the ground.

I see his attacker, and my blood starts to boil.

Lion-Mask.

He moves towards him, and my fear becomes fury.

I run between Diego and the Watcher.

“Not this time,” I growl. “You son of a bitch.”

He cocks his head, almost _curious_.

“ **Why do you fight your destiny when it is not yours to run from?** ”

“You’ve got that wrong,” I snarl. “ _I’m_ the only one who decides what it is.”

He charges.

Before I can even ready my sword, he kicks it straight out of my hands.

_Oh no…_

Then I remember.

I didn’t get beat up earlier today for nothing.

Holding my ground, I run my mind through everything Estela taught me.

Evade. Wait for an opening.

Lion-Mask grasps for me, but I dodge him.

And again, I stay out of his reach, sidestepping, twisting…keeping ready for my chance…

He’s getting angry. I don’t just see it in his face, I can _feel_ it in his head.

“ **Why…won’t…you…!** ”

He readies an over-eager left hook, and his stomach’s exposed.

I put everything I have into that punch…

OW

His abs are like concrete!

I almost cry out in pain, grabbing my fist.

But I see Lion-Mask stagger, shocked.

I notice Diego’s gotten up.

“Here!” Diego smashes a chair over the Watcher’s head. “ _Take a seat!_ ”

Lion-Mask falls to the ground.

“Nice, man!” I clap his back. “Now _that_ was action-movie worthy!”

“So were you!” he grins. “Glad to see you’re better at fighting than I am!”

“Come on!” I turn to see Grace at the door. “Hurry!”

Grace rushes out of the ballroom, followed by Raj.

We all race out the doors to follow them…

…but another group of Watchers block us.

“Aw fuck!” Jake hisses. “More of ‘em!”

Sean, Craig, Jake, and Estela go to the front of the group to try to fight, but they’re beaten back.

Dammit, these guys are too strong…

This is the only way out…

I turn around…

…several more Watchers are behind us.

They’re aiming their arrows.

Several of them fly, and Quinn and Michelle collapse as the arrows make their mark and bounce off.

“I…I can’t…” Quinn groans. “I can’t move…”

“Me…” Michelle grits her teeth. “Neither…”

The archers look at us. They stopped shooting, doing nothing but watching us now.

They _know_ we’re beat.

“We gotta do something!” I cry out.

“Ah, to hell with this!”

Out of his waist band, Jake pulls out…

…the gun from the observatory.

“Jake! You have no idea what that does!” I yell.

“Well friends,” he points it at the group of Watchers before him. “I guess it’s time to find out.”

He pulls the trigger…

…there’s the static…

An almost blinding flash comes, and a large bubble shoots from the gun.

It whips past me…

…and…

…I don’t see enough details, but it’s like I can see _an entire world_ in it…

The bubble moves through the room, and the static’s moving through my mind…almost like…it’s _following_ the projectile…

_What the hell…_

I hear the Watchers shouting and panicking.

I look, and…

…several of them are caught inside the bubble.

The Watchers scream, and…

…the bubble lets out a blinding light…

…and it’s gone.

The Watchers, the bubble…

“What the fuck…”

What just happened…?

“Holy mother of…”

Suddenly, several more Watchers lunge towards Jake.

I don’t even have the time to cry out when-

The weapon fires again.

The Watchers surrounding Jake vanish like the others did.

Jake starts shooting the gun all over the room, the eerie bubble catching Watcher after Watcher.

I just stand there, frozen and dumbly watching the scene.

When the last light clears, I see none other than Lion-Mask on the ground, looking like he barely dodged one of the bubbles.

“Everybody!” Sean’s voice catches my attention. “Go, _now!_ We’ve cleared a path! Help Quinn and Michelle!”

Immediately, Craig scoops up Michelle in his arms and Jake and Sean help carry Quinn.

Together, we make it out of the ballroom, and we seal the door shut by placing a metal sign through the handles.

Won’t hold for long, but it’ll buy us time.

We race through the halls, opting for the stairs instead of the elevator. At some point, we stop in a hallway to catch our breath.

“Quinn, Michelle,” I turn to the two. They’re sitting down on the floor. “You two okay?”

“The feeling in my legs is coming back,” Quinn smiles grimly. “I think I can manage on my own from here.”

“Same for me,” Michelle nods.

“So,” Craig says, breathless. “We gonna talk about…what _is_ that gun?”

“For a second,” Estela frowns. “I thought I saw another world through the bubble…”

“It looked like _here_ ,” Quinn nods. “Like the ballroom, but there wasn’t anyone there.”

“It was like it was shooting some kind of portal,” I say.

“Scanning,” Iris speaks up. “My information is dated, but I have some prototype schematic for a similar weapon. It is designated a Tachyon Accelerator. Its objective is to move physical objects forward in time.”

“So we were sending those Watchers _into the future?!_ ”

“Okay,” Jake laughs humorlessly. “A time travel gun. Sure. Why not?”

God…

…I thought none of this could get any weirder…

“Grace?! Grace!”

Aleister’s spinning around frantically.

“Have any of you seen her?!”

“We lost Raj too!”

Oh no…

…they left the ballroom before us, right after we got surrounded.

Dammit, _how could we forget them?!_

“We have to find them!” Sean cries.

We run back to where we came, and we come to the railing of the atrium.

Across the central chasm…

“I see Grace!” I point. “They’re taking her to the lounge on the fifteenth floor!”

“And there’s Raj!” Sean growls. “They’ve cornered him in that restaurant on the thirteenth!”

“No way we can save them in time,” Jake’s face falls.

“We can still make it!” Aleister yells. “We can’t just do nothing!”

“He’s right,” I grit my teeth. “No one’s getting left behind! We’ll split up. Aleister, Sean, Jake, and Diego, we’ll go save Grace. The rest of you go for Raj. We’ll meet you back here.”

“Oh thank heavens.”

Aleister grabs my face and kisses me _hard_ on the forehead.

Uh…

“Well?! What are you all waiting for?!” 

* * *

 

We race to the fifteenth floor as fast as we can.

When we get there, a single Watcher is dragging Grace towards an open window.

He looks at us, and growls in his language.

Sean steps forward, raising his fists, but Aleister stops him.

“Allow me,” he says.

Is it just me, or did his voice make the room drop a few degrees?

Aleister walks calmly up to the Watcher, who just raises his head arrogantly.

In a fluid motion, Aleister picks up an iron poker from the fireplace, and smashes the metal on the Watcher’s kneecap.

The Watcher screams.

He grasps at Aleister, who sidesteps out of his reach, and with a whip of the iron poker, the Watcher’s wrist is now bent at an odd position.

“Holy…”

Aleister strikes the Watcher’s skull, knocking him unconscious.

Okay, maybe I should give the cutlass to him instead…

Before any of us can say anything, Aleister kneels down to Grace, who’s on the floor.

“Grace? Are you alright?”

He helps her gently to his feet.

“Aleister…” Grace gapes at him.

He turns to us, and notices us staring at him.

“What?” he asks.

“What do you mean, ‘what’?!” Jake gapes. “Is being a Jedi or some shit another secret you left out?!”

Aleister scoffs.

“I was among the top five junior fencers in England.”

“Uh…” Diego stammers. “That _wasn’t_ fencing.”

“Tch, very well. Perhaps I just wanted to kick his arse.”

Aleister touches Grace’s cheek softly, and I see a bruise on her skin.

“You…” a smile breaks across her face. “You came for me.”

“I, um…of course I did! Frankly, I’m insulted you could imagine otherwise! I-”

“Calm your tits, Malfoy,” Jake snickers. “She’s thanking you.”

“Oh! Ahem…well, in that case…you are quite welcome.”

“Come on,” I smile. “Let’s get moving. The others are waiting.”


	48. The Portal

We meet the others in the hallway, and I let out a sigh of relief when I see Raj is with them.

“Dudes!” Raj races up to me and Diego and gives us a massive hug. “I am _so_ stoked to see you!”

“You too buddy,” I pat his back.

“Ya should’ve seen it!” Craig grins. “Iris pulled this shapeshifting move on ‘em, made herself look like the giant crab! She sent the Watcher’s shittin’ in their loincloths!”

“It was totally epic! She even fooled me too!” Raj laughs, and moves to hug Grace next.

“Glad you’re okay,” Grace smiles, returning the hug. “Now that we’re back, let’s get out of here, all of us.”

Her words sink in, and I almost laugh in happiness.

We might _all_ actually get out of this.

“Alright,” Jake grins. “Everyone’s present and accounted for. Time to hightail it outta here in style-”

“Uh…” Craig’s shaky voice gets our attention. “Guys?”

He points down into the atrium…

…to _two dozen Watchers_ pouring into the hotel.

They see us, pointing and shouting.

“There are so many of them!” Lila gapes.

“Go, go!” Jake yells. “We’ve gotta grab the parasailing gear!”

We run, following Jake and grabbing the parasailing gear along the way.

I’m holding one pack, and I notice everyone who’s also holding one just had one…

Wait…

…that doesn’t add up-

“ _Keep going!_ ”

Dammit this is no time to play Sherlock!

We keep running, and finally, we’re at the hotel’s rooftop.

“Block the elevator doors!” I shout, standing still between the doors after everyone pours out. “It can’t get back down for them then!”

Aleister and Lila drag a flower pot over and prop it between the elevator doors.

I turn to Jake, who’s glancing at everyone and counting under his breath.

His face falls, and I remember…

“Jake?” I ask.

Oh god…

He looks at me.

Please don’t say it.

His voice cuts like a knife.

“We don’t have enough chutes for everyone.”

“What…what does that mean?” Quinn’s voice trembles.

“It means,” Estela looks into the jungle, then at us. “We have to leave some of us behind.”

“Oh no,” Diego gasps.

“Hey!”

We turn to see Zahra looking over the edge of the rooftop.

“They’re climbing up. They’ll be here any minute.”

No…

No, dammit, it wasn’t supposed to end like this.

We’ve beaten the Watchers at _every_ turn!

How did our luck run out now?!

I jump when Sean puts a pack in my arms.

“I’ll stay behind,” his eyes are grim. “You guys go ahead.”

“Me too,” Craig says. His face is a mix of anger, sadness, and fear.

“Guys-”

“ _Shut up!_ ” Jake snaps. “Shut the hell up you dumbasses! Now’s not the time to act all noble and shit!”

Sean looks at him sadly.

“Jake…it’s _exactly_ the time.”

“Fuck,” Jake mutters. “Goddammit all…fine. Guess I’m staying too.”

“ _NO!_ ”

Everyone looks at me, startled.

“ _No one’s getting left behind!_ ”

I probably sound crazed right now…hell, my own voice sounds like a stranger to me.

But fuck that.

I’m _not_ letting these people go now.

“Cain,” Sean says gently. “There’s no way out of-”

“There’s _always_ a way out!” I bark.

Come on, think…

…there’s _always_ a way out…

…a way around…

…what have we got to work with…?

“We’re running out of time here!” Zahra yells. “They’re almost here!”

…what can we use…?

“Indeed,” Iris nods. “You have approximately sixty seconds to escape.”

…we can’t go back the way we came…

“Aw man,” Diego groans. “I do _not_ wanna go out like this. I just wanna close my eyes and wake up when it’s all over.”

Wake up when it’s over…

…that’s it…

“THAT’S IT!”

I grab the portal gun from Jake’s waistband.

“We’ll use _this!_ ”

“That won’t work, Cain,” Sean shakes his head. “There are too many of ‘em. You can’t shoot them all quickly enough.”

I smirk.

“Who said anything about shooting _them?_ ”

“What?” Estela asks incredulously. “What are you…”

Her eyes widen.

She knows what I’m talking about.

“That…that might actually _work_.”

“Hold on,” Craig hollers. “You’re talking about going through a portal ourselves?! Please tell me I’m wrong, man!”

“We’ve got no idea where it would send us!” Michelle shouts. “Or when!”

“Michelle is correct,” Iris agrees. “I have no data suggesting where the portal would lead, or if you’d even survive. Thirty seconds.”

“Cain’s right,” Sean backs me up. “It’s the only way we’ll all get out of here together.”

“Twenty-five seconds.”

“Huddle up everyone!” I cry out. “It’s now or never!”

We get in close. Diego and Estela flank me, and in front of me is Sean.

Huh.

We’re in a group hug.

I can’t help but muse how most of us were perfect strangers a few days ago.

And look at us now.

“Twenty seconds.”

Time to focus.

I aim the gun at my own feet.

Furball clings to my legs, and I can feel him shiver.

“Everybody!” Lila shouts. “Think positive! Envision your goals!”

“I’m just gonna say it, okay?” Raj cries. “I love you guys!”

“Screw it!” Michelle groans. “I love you all too!”

“No matter what happens!” Craig blubbers. “This was one dope-ass vacation, y’all!”

“Oh please, please,” Zahra mutters. “Do _not_ let me die in a group hug!”

“Aleister,” Grace’s voice trembles. “I’m scared.”

“I’m here, Grace,” he sounds just as afraid. “Just hold on to me.”

“Estela,” I turn to her. We’re just a few inches apart. “Listen…if this is the end-”

She grabs my hand and looks at me.

“This _isn’t_ the end, Cain. You and me, we’re just getting started.”

“Five seconds remaining.”

“Let’s do this.”

“Hang on everyone.”

“Here’s to adventure,” Diego’s laugh lacks humor. “Eh, Cain?”

My smile isn’t much better.

“Here’s to adventure.”

I squeeze the trigger.

A bubble erupts and forms around my legs.

It grows, and its reach swallows all of us up.

Suddenly, a flash of green whips forward.

 A lasso made of vines wrap around Diego’s torso.

“Wha-”

“NO!”

Beyond the bubble, I can make out…

…it’s him.

Lion-Mask is holding the vine.

He pulls, and instantly, I grab Diego’s hands.

Diego screams as he’s yanked back, but I keep my grip.

“ _Diego, hold on!_ ”

“What’s happeni-”

Estela’s voice vanishes into the bubble.

I hear everyone’s shouts and curses as they all follow.

Diego and I…

…it’s just us now.

I pull back with all my might…

…it’s not enough…

…Lion-Mask is too damn strong…

…no no no no no…

We’re nearing the edge of the bubble.

“They’re too strong!” Diego yells.

“ _We can do this! Just don’t let go!_ ”

“They’ll just take you with me!”

“We can figure this out!”

“This isn’t a puzzle…” his face falls. “No more puzzles, Cain.”

“Diego, no…”

“It’s either both of us…”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Or just me.”

“NO-”

“Goodbye, Cain.”

He lets go.

Like a fish on a reel, Diego flies back and vanishes.

“ _DIEGO!_ ”

The light of the bubble overtakes me, and the static comes at me, filling my head and my entire _body_.

And it goes away.

Just like that.

I look around.

I’m on the rooftop.

And so are all the others.

They look around, surrounding me.

…except…

I can feel myself shaking.

“That light…” Michelle marvels. “It’s gone.”

“So are the Watchers,” Sean gapes. “We made it through the portal.”

“No.”

My voice quivers.

“Wait, Cain,” Craig speaks. “Where’s Diego?”

“They took him,” I choke. My voice sounds broken in my ears. “They pulled him out.”

“Oh no,” Quinn covers her mouth in horror.

Furball gives a sad whimper.

I look up at a whirring sound.

It’s Iris’s drone.

The hologram appears.

She smiles warmly.

“Welcome back, old friends. It has been some time since we last spoke.”

Some time…?

“Iris… _when_ exactly did you last see us?”

“Scanning records…last interaction: on the Celestial’s rooftop, 204 days go.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“That’s over six months!”

“That is correct.”

All that time…

The Watchers had Diego all that time…

“We left Diego,” Sean rubs his forehead. “In the hands of those people for six months?”

“Not necessarily,” Iris comments. “It is possible they killed him immediately.”

I fall to my knees. Tears are pooling in my eyes.

…oh my god…

…this can’t be happening…

“Hey,” Estela grabs my shoulders, hold me steady. “Come on, look at me. _Breathe._ ”

I do as she says, and I suddenly realize I forgot to breathe for a while.

“Okay, then,” Craig says. “We just go back. Flip a switch on that gun thingy and we’ll change what happened.”

I look down at the gun I forgot I’m still holding.

It’s smoking.

No…

“It’s broken…”

“There’s no going back,” Jake says sadly.

NO

With a cry of rage, and throw the gun, and it flies clean off the edge of the roof.

The tears I’ve been holding back start falling.

“Cain,” Sean kneels down beside me. “There’s nothing else we could’ve done. If you hadn’t saved us, all of us would’ve been grabbed.”

…all of us…?

It should have been me.

If anyone deserves to be taken by those monsters, it’s me.

Diego’s never been anything but a good person…

He saved me.

And now…

I look out into the forest.

Diego…he might be out there, somewhere.

“ _You’re not a sidekick…_ ” I all but sob.

“Huh?”

You’re my hero, Diego.


	49. The Runes

We search the hotel, but I pretty much run on autopilot the whole time.

All I could think about is what happened to Diego. What the Watchers might’ve done with him.

They wanted _something_ with us. The Watchers were trying to _capture_ us the whole time, not _kill_ us.

That alone gives me some sliver of hope that Diego might be alive.

 _Alive isn’t the same as alright, though_ , says a nasty little voice in my head.

Shut up.

_They could have tortured him. Maybe they’re fattening him up to eat him._

Shut up shut up shut up shut up-

_Even if that’s not the case, so much can happen in six months. They might have decided he can’t help them and did away with-_

“The Watchers must’ve spent a long time searching for us,” I suddenly hear Sean say, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I remember we’re in the lobby.

“A bunch of the suite doors have been kicked in,” he continues.

“And they went through all my stuff!” Michelle snaps. “My suitcase was completely dumped out!”

“Mine too,” Quinn pouts.

“So where are they then?” Craig asks. “Did they just give up?”

“Guess so,” I say, and it comes out toneless and almost dead.

“So that means we’re safe,” Zahra reasons.

“Don’t count on it,” Estela shakes her head. “For one, we’re not the only ones who went through a portal. We shot some Watchers with them too.”

She’s right. I completely forgot about them.

“So,” Jake says. “If they were sent to this time too, they could already be on their way back to wherever the hell the others went.”

“Correct,” Iris confirms. “And upon their return, the rest will realize it likely means you have re-emerged in this time as well.”

So we’re not safe at the hotel anymore.

“We still have some time before anything happens,” Sean speaks again. “Let’s just try to get a little rest, clear our minds, figure out our next move.”

And how we’re gonna find Diego.

Everyone splits up, but I barely move.

I spot a sofa, and I fall on the soft cushions, closing my eyes.

After everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours…the fiasco with the sea monster, the Watchers…

…I just feel so _drained_.

Almost exactly like after… after…

“Fuck…” I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

“Hey.”

I open my eyes, and I see Estela standing before me at the couch.

“Hey,” I sit up as I force a smile.

She sits down next to me.

“How are you holding up?” she asks.

“Fine,” I say automatically.

She frowns.

“ _Cain…_.”

Estela sighs. She takes my hand and looks directly at me.

“I won’t…I won’t tell you it’s all going to be okay. But I _can_ tell you we’re _going_ to get through this.”

“I just…” I take a deep breath. I think I look calm on the outside, if not tired.

But inside, I feel like I’m holding back everything on a cracking dam right now.

I don’t even trust myself to speak.

Estela squeezes my hand.

“We _will_. We’re gonna get through this. _Together_ , Cain.”

She says it with a certainty that makes me believe her.

I squeeze her hand back.

“Thanks,” I smile gratefully. “Thanks Estela.”

“Of course,” she smiles back. “And you don’t have to pretend like everything’s alright all the time.”

“Yeah…it’s just…kinda how I’m dealing with all this without freaking out.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re handling yourself pretty well. Better than I expected.”

“Hurtful,” I smirk. “Well, you _are_ the one with more experience with this stuff.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, uh…” I trail off awkwardly. “Family business and all…”

She stiffens as her eyes narrow at me.

“ _How_ do you know that?”

Seriously? She just told me a few hours ago-

_Oh._

Right.

The time travel necklace…

…and Lion-Mask.

“You, uh…told me…”

“ _What?_ ”

I explain to her how she told me about her past and her mother before Lion-Mask broke through the window.

There’s a worried look in Estela’s eyes, but at least she doesn’t look as suspicious anymore.

“Sorry,” I say when I finish.

“What for?” Estela asks. “I mean, I _told_ you myself. And…to be honest, I probably would have told you at some point. I…” she sighs again, blushing a bit. “Never mind.”

“What is it?”

“It’s…” she shakes her head. “It’s nothing, I…” Estela trails off as she frowns, looking ahead.

“What…?” I look where she’s looking.

Aleister and Iris are reading something on the concierge desk.

“What have they got there?” Estela mutters.

“Let’s find out,” We both get up and walk over to them. “Hey guys, what’re you reading?”

“We seem to have found a note left behind by unknown persons,” Iris answers.

“And it wasn’t here before,” Aleister scowls. “Was it?”

He hands me the note. It looks like a piece of notebook paper.

“‘12 Letters = Hadean Zodiac,’” I read, confused. “‘The runes are the key.’”

“‘Lupus’,” Estela reads on. “‘Month by month by month…’”

“The hell…” I mutter. “Who wrote this?”

“We’ve been gone for six months,” Estela says. “Anybody could’ve come in here.”

“I did not detect any entry to the resort after the intruders abandoned their search,” Iris tells us.

“You mean to say that this note just appeared out of thin air?” Aleister snaps.

“Forget that,” Estela keeps her eyes on the paper. “What do all these scribbles mean?”

“I…I believe it’s the notes of someone who was trying to solve the password on my father’s office computer.”

“Right!” I remember the office. “The password was twelve letters long.”

“The note refers to twelve letters as well,” Iris confirms.

“Thanks computer,” Estela scowls. “We got that part.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” I thrust my thumb at the elevators. “Let’s use these notes and try to get into Rourke’s computer.” 

* * *

 

When we reach Rourke’s office, I can’t help but admire how beautiful it looks in the night.

The stars shine in a way they never would at home. The way the windows on all sides capture the view of the island takes my breath away.

At the desk, the holographic monitor glows softly, just like how we left it.

We walk over to the interface, and I touch the glass.

The screen displays a red “X”.

“Allow me,” Aleister reaches over and rests his hand on the glass surface.

The screen flashes a green check mark, and the display reads, “DNA match confirmed. Enter password.”

“Huh,” I marvel. “So that’s why it worked the last time.”

“ _Obviously._ ”

I turn my gaze back to the screen where the twelve spaces lie in wait.

“Why are some spaces different colors than the rest?” Estela asks.

Huh, I didn’t notice that before.

“Not sure. Let’s take a look at the note again.”

I pull the note out of my pocket.

‘12 Letters = Hadean Zodiac.’

“So the twelve letters,” I speak. “Are apparently the password. A zodiac is twelve signs, so that makes sense. Does the phrase ‘Hadean Zodiac’ mean anything to you guys?”

“In geology,” Aleister answers. “The Hadean Era was the period when the earth was first formed, 4.6 billion years ago.”

“And that’s different how?” Estela asks.

“Different constellations. Which ones appear in the sky over a given spot change little, year over year.”

“But over billions of years,” Iris chimes in. “Very different stars may have been visible from La Huerta.”

“So if the Hadean Era had different constellations, a zodiac based on that sky would have different signs too,” I deduce.

Suddenly, I remember what Sean told me about the stars here. That they’re all different.

“Could _that_ be why the stars are different here?” I wonder. “Are we somehow seeing the sky as it was billions of years ago?”

We’re silent for a moment before Iris speaks up.

“Impossible to determine…but it _is_ a possibility.”

“Okay,” Estela says. “We have that part of the puzzle down. Twelve letters for a zodiac. Twelve constellations for twelve months.”

“The question before us,” Aleister sighs. “Is which constellations? And in which order?”

“And what are these runes they’re talking about?” Estela mutters.

“Not sure,” I sigh as I look at the paper again.

Under the phrase, ‘the runes are the key’, is the word ‘Lupus’, with the first letter circled.

_‘The Wolf.’_

_‘Go_ lupus _yourself, Papa Smurf!’_

The symbol on Jake’s dossier.

…the symbol we found on the way to the emergency shelter…

“That’s it…”

“What?”

“Illberightback!”

I race into the elevator. 

* * *

 

When I get back to my room, I gasp when I see it completely trashed.

Furniture’s knocked over, and the clothes that used to be in my suitcase are strewn all over the floor.

“Son of a…”

I shake my head. _Focus._

I go to the dresser, and behind it, lying between it and the wall, are the dossiers.

Right where I left them after we escaped the Watchers the first time.

“Yes!” I cackle as I grab them.

I do a quick count, and-

Eleven.

Not twelve.

“Oh, right!” I pull Aleister’s file out of my pocket.

Twelve.

I grin at Aleister’s photo. 

* * *

 

I return to Rourke’s office.

“Well?” Aleister asks. “What was so important that you flew off to who knows where?”

I tell them everything.

“Look here,” I point to the dossier on the top, my own. “These symbols stamped on the pages. I bet _those_ are the runes.”

For the first time, I take a good look at the rune on my file.

It doesn’t look like an animal, not like the others.

Almost like a DNA helix…

“So,” Aleister looks at me expectantly. “They were watching all of us, and you _neglected to share?_ ”

“I didn’t know who to trust then,” I admit.

“Hm…fair enough.”

“I’ve seen symbols like this before,” Estela points to the rune on my file. “Carved into some spots on the island.”

“Me too,” I nod. “And I think these are the key to figuring out the zodiac. And look again at the note. The ‘L’ in ‘Lupus’ is circled. The first letters of the constellations must be the letters in the password.”

“Twelve dossiers make all of them,” Aleister say. “It is fortunate that you were able to find them all.”

“So we’ve got all the runes we need to figure it out,” Estela comments.

“I get the feeling we’re gonna need a pen and paper,” I pull my notebook and a pen out of my backpack.

I am _so_ glad this thing’s waterproof.

As I flip to the next blank page, Estela scans through the dossiers.

“Look here,” she says. “Each of us were born in different months. _That_ must represent the order of the letters in the password.”

“But here,” Aleister points to Estela’s file. “It says here you were born in January, same as Cain.”

“I was born in _June_. Dumbasses got it wrong.”

“Alright,” I say, notepad ready. “So Estela’s in June, I’m January, and Diego was born in March. What about you, Aleister?”

“August.”

I jot down our names next to our birth months.

“This,” I look to see Aleister admiring his file. “Resembles a colossal, fanged beast. Most likely one that the ancient peoples of the earth spoke of in whispered legends. ”

Estela scoffs.

“Looks like a common garden snake to me.”

“Either of you know any snake constellations?” I ask.

“There is only one constellation depicted as a snake,” Iris says. “Serpens.”

“That makes sense,” I point to his file. “‘Serpens’ is your codename.”

I scribble that next to Aleister’s name and month.

The next dossier is my own.

The large letters, ‘WHO IS HE???’ takes my attention again.

Involuntarily, I shiver.

“Wow,” Estela gapes. “They were really thrown in a loop by you, Cain.”

“Further proof that my father’s resources are nothing short of pathetic,” Aleister snaps. “And a threat assessment of _ten?!_ How is Cain more of a threat than I am? I’m his _son_ , for Christ’s sake!”

“Weirdly, they got my birthday right,” I shrug, trying to change the subject. “Not sure what’s up with that. Anyone have any idea of what this symbol is?”

“Don’t know,” Estela mutters. “Unless there’s a DNA constellation, I’d say that looks like a chain.”

“No records of chain constellations,” Iris says. “But the constellation Andromeda has been called the Chained Princess.”

“Alright, we have that down,” I write ‘Andromeda’ next to my name.

Estela’s file is next.

“Doesn’t look like they have anything serious on me. Good.”

“So what about your symbol?”

“I believe it is a coat hanger,” Aleister says dryly.

“ _What?_ ” Estela looks at him, peeved. “No, it’s _obviously_ a badass dragon!”

“Um…”

“See? Cain agrees with me.”

“What?! No! I-”

“Whatever,” Estela huffs. “These dipshits didn’t even know my real birthday, so what do they know?”

“No coat hanger constellations exist,” Iris says. “But there is one depicted as a dragon: Draco.”

I write it down next.

“Here’s Craig,” Estela opens the next dossier. “This is a bear print.”

“Really?” I look at the dossier. Craig’s confused face looks up from his picture, and the rune below is a five-toed paw print.

“I’ve hunted enough to know my footprints.”

“Alright, and he was born in November. Iris, are there any bear constellations?”

“Yes, Ursa Major.”

I write that down.

Diego’s is next.

His smiling face is almost enough to make me tremble.

My eyes fall on the word ‘sidekick’ on his file, and it’s is enough to make my blood boil…

Come on, keep it together.

You’re gonna find him.

“That one has to be a dog,” I say.

“There’s a dog constellation,” Estela nods. “Canis Major.”

We move on.

Aleister gasps at the next dossier.

“This…is a mugshot?! It must be a forgery!”

“Hm,” Estela looks at Grace’s file. “Maybe Little Miss Bookish is tougher than I thought.”

“Aleister,” I turn to him. “Before you start making judgements, you should listen to _her_ side of the story first.”

“Well…bah, _of course_ ,” Aleister frowns. “Don’t assume I’d be so closed-minded.”

“Back to the matter at hand,” Estela speaks up. “Her symbols looks like some kinda bird.”

“That is clearly a swan. A creature known for its grace, I might add.”

“You’re so whipped,” I snicker.

Aleister stutters, blushing, but quickly composes himself.

“As though you, or _either_ of you, are any different?” he asks, with a hint of smugness.

“Wha…I…” I stammer and blush.

“Moving on!” Estela scowls, but she’s blushing too. “She was born in April. Iris, are there any Swan constellations?”

“Yes, Cygnus.”

I write it down.

Jake’s dossier is next.

“I guess,” I shrug at his symbol. “That’s a wolf.”

“Truly remarkable deduction skills, Cain,” Aleister drawls. “A regular Sherlock Holmes.”

“ _Aleister_ ,” Estela glares.

“Apologies. Only joking.”

I chuckle.

“Lupus means ‘wolf’ in Latin. And I heard the Watchers on the beach call Jake that, so that’s gotta be his constellation.”

“Cain is correct,” Iris confirms. “Lupus is the wolf constellation.”

“They called Sean something too…I can’t remember…”

I pull up Sean’s dossier.

“Some kind of hawk or eagle?”

“An eagle constellation exists,” Iris speaks again. “Aquila.”

I write it all down, along with Jake’s birth month, February, and Sean’s, May.

“Here’s Michelle’s,” Estela pulls the next one. “Born in December. This also looks like a bird.”

“A peacock, I presume,” Aleister shrugs.

“Indeed,” Iris agrees. “The peacock constellation is Pavo. An appropriate symbol in this case.”

“Uh, was that an ‘Iris-burn’?” I ask.

“Quinn’s is next,” Estela says. “And this one’s obvious; a dolphin. And she was born in July.”

“The dolphin constellation is Delphinium,” Iris clarifies.

I write down Michelle and Quinn’s names, months, and constellations next.

I pull up Raj’s dossier and point to his file’s rune.

“This is the same symbol that was on the frying pan Raj found. He said it was important to him somehow, but couldn’t explain why.”

Estela nods, her eyes a bit distant for a second.

“Well what on earth is it supposed to be?” Aleister asks. “A horse shooting a bow and arrow?”

“I’m guessing a centaur,” Estela says.

“Like Sagittarius?” I ask.

“No, Sagittarius isn’t visible in the sky here. It’s gotta be a different constellation.”

“I have recorded that Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to our system, is visible from the island,” Iris explains. “Perhaps that could help.”

“Alright,” I write down Raj’s name, his birth month of October, and next to it I write ‘Centauri.’

“Last one,” Estela opens the final dossier. “It’s Zahra’s. She was born in September, and her rune’s some kind of crow, or raven.”

“No raven constellations exist,” Iris chimes. “But there is a crow constellation. Corvus.”

I write it all down.

“Okay,” I turn to the next clean page. “Now to organize it all by month.”

I write down all the constellations by month;

_January – Andromeda_

_February – Lupus_

_March – Canis Major_

_April – Cygnus_

_May – Aquila_

_June – Draco_

_July – Delphinus_

_August – Serpens_

_September – Corvus_

_October – Centauri_

_November – Ursa Major_

_December – Pavo_

“Now, taking the first letter of each constellation we get…” I quickly take each first letter, and finally, I get ‘ALCCADDSCCUP’

“It’s just nonsense,” Aleister frowns.

I check it over. Twice.

“We might as well test it,” I say. “If it doesn’t work, we just go back to the drawing board.”

I go to the computer, and type in the password.

The computer chimes.

“Holy shit!” I can’t keep myself from cursing. “We’re in!”

“Oh my god,” Estela gapes. “You did it!”

“That gibberish was actually the correct password?!” Aleister asks incredulously.

“Not gibberish,” Estela points at the screen. “Read just between the highlighted letters.”

“‘A’, ‘L’,” I frown as I read the next two. “‘Adds up.’ _‘All adds up’_?”

“My father _cannot_ be serious.”

“Well, I hope he’s right,” I sigh. “Because _nothing_ on this island is adding up,” when the password screen clears, I do a file search.

I almost do a double take.

“What?! There’s only _one_ file!”

“You’re joking!” Aleister gasps.

“Shit,” Estela growls. “The bastard must’ve wiped the drive. There’s nothing here but a single program.”

“‘Awaken.exe’,” Iris reads.

“Awaken _what?_ ” I ask.

“I say we find out,” Estela asserts.

I look at the program, staring me at the face.

This is it.

Either this gives us the answers we need…

…or we get below square one.

“Hold on to your asses.”

I activate the program.

Almost immediately, I hear a hiss.

“Where is that coming from?” Aleister exclaims.

“Look!” Estela points to the pillar in the center of the office.

Steam’s pouring straight out of its base.

The static comes into my head instantly, and my mind goes into a haze.

But this time, it’s not painful or anything…

_…no…_

I move towards the pillar.

‘ **Welcome back, Wolf.** ’

_…I feel…_

The steam coils around my legs.

‘… **for my friends…you bastard…** ’

_…it’s almost like…_

I graze my fingers against the black marble.

‘ **You don’t understand, do you…?** ’

_…I’m being greeted…by someone I hadn’t seen in…_

With a mechanical whirr, the marble rises into the ceiling.

Someone speaks, but I can’t tell who it is or what they’re saying.

All I can focus on is what’s happening before me.

The marble aside, the pillar is replaced by a glass tube, filled with some green liquid.

Suspended in it, is a man.

When I see him, all the static goes away in an instant, and I’m back in the present.

I realize what’s going on, and my blood turns to ice.

A muscular, goateed man is floating, asleep in the green water. His wrists are hooked up to several tubes, and his short hair waves slightly in the fluid.

A tattoo on his right bicep catches my eye.

It’s the same symbol as on the cufflink…

…and on the computer terminals at the observatory…

This is the man I saw in the dreams when I first came here.

Aleister’s voice is somewhere in between a snarl and a sob.

“ _Father._ ”

.

.

.

.

.

**La Huerta Island Theater: End of Part One**

The Beast has been unearthed. The seeds cast on the remains of Eden have sprouted, soon to grow.

Huh, I’m a poet and didn’t even know it!

While I’m at it, why don’t I try a crack at a joke too?

A vengeful assassin, a Slytherin reject, a depressed prettyboy, and a robot wake up an old man…

…

You waiting for a punchline?

Well, wait and see.

And thus, here ends the first stage of this cycle of horror and strife!

We hope you’ve enjoyed your experience, and remember! The greatest deciding factor of your fate, will always ever be your choices!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! We're nearing the end of this story. All that's left is the epilogue, and then the next story begins!
> 
> And another thing, the ending of ES book 1 gave me massive Danganronpa flashbacks. We have a protagonist, a mysterious enigma, an arrogant rich kid, and an AI working together to solve a mystery. Any Danganronpa fan will know what I'm talking about ;)


	50. Epilogue: System Error

.

.

.

.

.

.

“Hello.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“OH MY GOD!”

“ _Please_ , would you calm down?”

“WH-WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU?! WHERE AM I?”

“…this _always_ happens…”

“YOU’RE A-”

“I am _not_. I am merely taking a form derived from your own thoughts. And…erm, for some reason, _this_ apparently resides in your mind’s recesses. I suppose it’ll do well enough.”

“…but…what even _are_ you?”

“I’m something that your mind simply lacks the ability to comprehend fully. Were you to even try, I doubt you’d emerge from the ordeal fully sane. For now, just think of me as a concept given sentience. An avatar of the fourth dimension.”

“I don’t…I don’t understand…”

“I did not expect you to. Nor need you. That’s not what I’m here to talk to you about. What you did, just now…was _very_ irresponsible.”

“What do you mean? All I did was-”

“Even the most innocent action can have dire, far-reaching consequences. Especially where you are. The continuum is in enough flux around this island. The last thing we need are the anomalies further compromising its integrity.”

“I _still_ don’t understand…”

“Plain and simple, you broke one of the most fundamental laws that keeps the universe in balance. You reached through the fabric of reality and withdrew information. Whatever exists in one reality must _never_ , under _any_ circumstances, be introduced into another.”

“What…what would happen then?”

“Hope that you never have to find out.”

“So, what happens now…? Do I die…? Or go to some…cosmic prison…?”

“Nothing so dramatic. I can restore the balance and undo the damage you’ve done, but at a great cost.”

“What kind of cost?”

“…I will not tell you.”

“What?! Why not?”

“Like my nature, its knowledge would do permanent damage to your mind. Consider yourself lucky. Commit this misdeed a second time…and I cannot promise reality would ever be restored.”

“Can’t you tell me anything?! What’s going on with this island?!”

“As I said, I cannot… _hm…_ ”

“What?”

“That’s odd.”

“ _What?_ ”

“There is something I _can_ tell you without causing any permanent damage.”

“Well then, what is it?!”

“Ask yourself, what good would it do if I told you? You would not even remember any of what happened here, so what-”

“TELL ME!”

“…”

“…”

“Very well. I can tell you two things.”

“Well?!”

“The first is that there is someone you will meet before this is all over.”

“Uh, _who?_ ”

“I believe you already know. Have they not been on your mind for a good while? They practically made their home in your thoughts and feelings.”

“…”

“I’ll take your silence as confirmation. You seem afraid. As you should be.”

“What…what’s the second thing…?”

“There is a 99.98% chance that your situation will end in your demise.”

“WHAT?!”

“Goodbye.”

“WAIT-”

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End file.
